Sri Sri Caitanya Siksamrta The Nectarean Instructions Of Lord Caitanya Chapter One Part One Obeisances to their Lordships Radha and Krsna. There are countless philosophies, which [although attempting to reach the truth] are all incomplete and mutually conflicting, due to their origin in bewilderment All these philosophies find their perfection in Krsna bhakti, 1 begin this book by offering my respects to Sri Krsna Caitanya, the bestower of Krsna bhakti There are three objects in this universe: the Lord, conscious entities and matter. Matter is that substance without volition, for example, earth, rock, water, fire, air, ether, house, forest, grain, cloth or a body. Men, animals, insects, reptiles are living entities, as they have the power to discern and desire. Of these, man has the greatest power of discernment. For this reason some people call man the master of all. living and non-living entities. The Lord is the creator of all living and non-living entities. Since he does not have a material body, we cannot see him, He is the perfect, the complete form of pure consciousness. He is our creator, protector and controller. By His will, we prosper, by His will, we meet with destruction. In His personal form, He is master of Vaikuntha. He is the Lord ofall lords. By His command, all the universes move As the Lord does not have the gross form. of material objects, we cannot perceive Him with our senses. In this sense, He is called formless in the Vedas. However, as all objects have their own form, the Lord also has His form. Only material objects have material form, Conscious living entities have a conscious or spiritual form (cetana svarupa). Human beings, though spiritual entities, additionally have a material body. Thus our spiritual form has become hidden within the material form The Lord is pure consciousness or spirit. That is, he has no form except His spiritual form. This spiritual form is His body. We can see this form only with our pure, spiritual eyes. We cannot see it with material eyes Many unfortunate people do not believe in God, for their eye of knowledge is closed. Because they cannot see the Lord's form with their material eyes, they say He does not exist. Just as blind men cannot understand the nature of sunlight, atheists cannot believe in the existence of God. Though all men, by their very nature, believe in God, if they learn duplicitous logic through bad association from childhood, they gradually become overcome by that bad influence and disbelievein the Lord's existence. That of course is their Loss; it is no Loss for the Lord One should not think that Vaikuntha is material place. Madras, Bombay, Benares, Calcutta, London, and Paris are examples of material places. To go to those places, one must traverse a great expanse of earth and many countries. Even if one travels by railway or ship, it may take a Long time. The material body must be moved. Vaikuntha is not such a place, it has a different nature, transcending the material universes. It is conscious, eternal and faultless. It is not perceived by the eye, nor conceived of by the mind. The Supreme Lord resides in this inconceivable place. If a person is able to please the Lord, he can go there and serve the Lord eternally What is called happiness in this world is not etemal, it remains for a short time, and then disappears. Everything of this world is filled with suffering. Birth itself is difficult, a cause for sorrow. After birth, we must nourish the body with food. If wwe have no food, we suffer. There is always some sort of affliction, such excessive heat or cold. To rid ourselves of the suffering we have to undergo bodily suffering toeamn money. If we do not build a house we do not have a place to stay. On getting married, we have to raise children. When old age finally approaches, it seems we are left with nothing. Throughout life, we suffer through argument and disagreement with others. There is no such thing as. pure happiness in this world Therefore people accept that happiness is the momentary cessation of grief or want. However, it is very difficult to live in sucha world. If one attains the Lord's abode, he does not experience temporary happiness and distress, but rather attains unlimited and eternal joy. To this end, we must try to satisfy the Lord. Man's highest benefit starts when he begins to satisfy the Lord. But man begins this practice only after pure knowledge appears within him, Unfortunately, most people think that they can enjoy the world now and worship the Lord in old age. That, however, is unacceptable, for time is a precious thing . We should begin to practice from the very day that we see its urgency. Man's life is indeed a rare achievement, but it is also insecure, as we cannot say when we will die. Thus we should never think that we should not worship the Lord when we are children. In history we see how Dhruva and Prahlada received the Lord's mercy when they were children, Is there any doubt that any human being, being capacity of doing an activity, cannot, without effort, achieve it? As well, what is practiced from an early age gradually becomes a natural action Man attempts to please the Lord for four reasons, according to his condition of life: from fear, for satisfying material aspirations, from a sense of duty, and from genuine attraction. Some people are inspired to worship the Lord because of sickness, poverty, fear of hell or fear of death. Others worship the Lord, praying for material happiness, desiring greater material progress. These two types of people, though beginning their worship out of fear or material aspiration, often become attached to pure worship, since worship of the Lord produces genuine joy. Those who worship the Lord out ofa feeling of gratitude are those motivated bya sense of duty. Those people who naturally gain satisfaction in worshipping,the Lord, without motives of fear, desire or duty, begin their worship with attraction (raga). Raga is defined as the tendency of the mind to become spontaneously attracted to an object immediately on seeing it, without intellectual processing. A person who has developed this quality of attraction in his heart as soon as he thinks of the Lord is worshipping the Lord according to raga. Those who take to worship of the Lord from fear, desire or duty are not on sucha pure level. Those who worship the Lord according to raga are real worshippers. The living entity and the Lord have a deep relationship. When raga appears, this relationship becomes manifest. This relationship is eternal no doubt, but for the materially bound up soul it remains hidden. Given the right opportunity, it appears. Just as fire appears by striking a match or a flint, by sadhana or practice, this relationship makes its appearance. Many persons have even achieved this, relationship through practice based on fear, desire and duty. Dhruva first worshipped the Lord with a desire fora kingdom, but by sadhana there appeared in his heart attraction, bome of a pure relationship with the Lord. Thereafter he refused to accept the benediction of material happiness Fear and desire are extremely base. When a devotee's intelligence becomes clear, he gives up fear and desire, duty or gratitude becomes his sole motive. And as long as raga towards the Lord does not appear, the devotee should not give up worship according to duty. From the sense of duty two standards arise: to respect the rules (vidhi) and to avoid breaking the rules (nisedha). These rules for worship of the Lord were established by great devotees long ago and recorded in the scriptures. Following the scriptures and reverence for the rules arises from the sense of duty. On examining the historical records of all types of people around the world, it will be obvious that faith in God is man’s common and constant characteristic Uneivilized forest tribals survive, like animals, on animal flesh, but they also worship the sun, the moon, huge mountains, large sivers and tall trees as their benefactors and controllers, Why do they do this? Though the soul is extremely bound up, his faith in the Lord, his natural quality as spisit soul, will gradually manifest as the degree that the material covering is weakened. However, when man becomes civilized and takes to various types of knowledge and education, his faith becomes more covered due to materialistic logic. Then atheism, or worse, voidism, takes hold of his mind. One should understand that such beliefs are the symptoms of an unhealthy, weak soul There are three stages between the primitive, uncivilized state of mankind and the devotional state. In these three stages, the diseases of atheism, materialism, skepticism, and voidism afflict many people. Acting as obstacles to their progress, those philosophies bring them toa lamentable state. Of course, not all people will be so afflicted. Those who are infected by the disease become bound up, and do not progress to higher stages of life. The uncivilized tribal, taking advantage of the system of varnasrama and cultivating civilized manners, proper conduct and education, can quickly attain the life of a devotee. This is the natural path ofprogress for mankind. But if one becomes afflicted by the diseases of materialistic philosophies, he falls into an unnatural state of existence Though men in various countries, on various continents, have a wide variety of natures, the principal nature is only one. Only the secondary characteristics are many. But though the principal nature is one, there will not be found any two people in the world who have identical secondary qualities. As even twins bom of the same womb have some difference in form and quality, one cannot expect that people born in different countries can ever have exactly the same qualities Different countries have different water, air, mountains, forests, eatables and clothing. Because of this, the people of these places have naturally developed different physiques, complexions, customs, clothing and food. Similarly, the peoples’ mentality wil differ. And thus various people's ideas of God, though being basically similar, will differ in details. When men in various countries surpass the uncivilized stage and progress to the civilized stage, the scientific stage, the moral stage and the devotional stage, they will develop differences, in language, dress, food, and mentality. This gives rise to difference in the mode of worship of God. Considering the matter objectively, there is no harm in secondary differences. If there is agreement concerning the essential nature of God and His worship, there should be no obstacle in attaining the same result. Thus Mahaprabhu has instructed that we should instruct everyone to worship the pure form of the Lord, but at the same time we should not criticize others’ modes of worship Because of the above reasons, we see the following differences amongst the religions of different countries. difference of teachers or prophets difference in worshipper's mentality and consequent expression of reverence difference in procedures of worship difference in conceptions of God difference in God's name and statements due to difference in language veune Thus, people in India give respect to the rsis, in other countries they respect prophets like Mchammed, in other countries they respect Christ, and in other places the inhabitants give respect to various native sages. It is imperative that the people of the country give proper respect to the native saints, but, no one, though he made hold his particular belief to benefit his own progress, should go to other places and preach that what his teachers have taught is superior to all other teachings. This gives no benefit at all to the world. Concerning different expressions of reverence, in India, the worshipper sits on an asana, and after performing nyasa and pranayama he begins his worship. The Muslim faces towards Mecca and worships five times a day by bowing down. The Christian kneels down with folded hands and with humility praises the Lord in either church or house. Each country has its particular rules concerning, proper dress, food, purity and impurity.If one examines the different religions, one will see different rituals. One will also different conceptions concerning the object of worship. Some people, overcome with devotion in their hearts, establish the form of the Lord in their soul, in their mind and finally in the external world. Understanding that the form is non- different from the Lord within, they worship that form. In some religions, because the greater emphasis on logic, the worshipper simply forms a conception of God in the mind, and worships it. They do not accept an external form of God In reality, however, all these conceptions are forms of the Lord According to language differences, different religions call God by different names. The religions have different names, and the languages used during worship are also different Because of these five differences, itis only natural that various religions will appear quite different. However it is improper and detrimental to argue over these differences. If one goes to someone else's place of worship one should think, "The people are worshipping my Lord, but ina different way. Because of my different training, I cannot quite comprehend this system of worship. However, through this experience, 1 can deepen my appreciation for my own system of worship. The Lord is only one, not two. 1 offer respect to the form 1 see here, and pray to the Lord in this new form that he increase my love for the Lord in His accustomed form." Those who do not follow this procedure, but instead criticize other systems of worship and show hatred, violence and envy, are worthless and foolish. The more they indulge in useless quarreling, the more they betray the very goal of their religion. However, one should consider the following point. Though it is worthless to criticize a difference in religious system, if one sees a fault, one should not tolerate it. It is beneficial for the living entities if one attempts to correct the fault in the proper way. Thus Mahabprabhu, in discussing with Buddhists, Jains and impersonalists, led them to the proper path, The devotees of Lord Caitanya should always take the Lord's behavior as the proper example to follow. The devotee does not accept those religions which are filled with atheism, skepticism, materialism, pantheism and impersonalism as real religions. He knows them to be false religions, anti-religious movements, perverted religions, and he understands that their followers are unfortunate. The devotees must try to protect the living entities from these false religions Pure love is the eternal function of the soul. Though the above mentioned five differences may exist ina religion, the real religion is pure love. This is the final goal of religion. We should not quarrel over external differences. If the goal of a religion is pure love, then all else is adjusted. Atheism, skepticism, polytheism, materialism, pantheism, and impersonalism are, by their very nature, contrary to love. This will be shown later on Love of Krsna (Krsna prema) is that pure love. The quality of Love is that it takesshelter of one entity and takes another as its object. Prema cannot exist without (shelter, or subject) asraya and visaya (object). The shelter of prema is the heart of the soul. The object of prema is Krsna alone. When perfect, pure prema arises, the aspects of the Lord as Brahman, the controller and Narayana ripen into the form of Krsna On reading this book and understanding the concept of prema, this will be understood. A person who arpues just on hearing the name of Krsna is cheated of, the truth, Quarreling about names is of no value. The living entity should search out the object indicated by the name. The sweet qualities of Krsna as described in the crown jewel of scriptures, Srimad Bhagavatam, were the personal realization of Vyasadeva through his spiritual vision. Through the instructions of Narada, Vyasadeva obtained devotional trance and saw the form of Krsna. Vyasadeva described tha sweet qualities of Krsna, for he realized that by developing devotion to that form of Krsna the jivas could drive away all forms of lamentation, illusion and fear. On hearing or reading about Krsna and his sweet qualities, the living entities according to their nature understand him in two different ways: understanding through true knowledge, and understanding without knowledge. Even when Krsna is personally present and can be seen with mortal eyes, the two types of people will see in these two different ways. If a person desires to learn more about these two types of perception, he may study the Sat Sandarbhas, Bhagavatamrta and Sri Krsna Samhita under a competent authority. It is impossible to elaborate on this subject here. Briefly realization through true knowledge (vidvat pratiti) may be described as realization under vidya sakti (knowledge potency of the Lord) ,and understanding without knowledge (avidvat pratiti) may be described as an understanding of the Lord under ignorance. If Krsna is understood through avidvat pratiti, many controversies arise. If he is understood through vidvat pratiti, there is no place for disagreements. Those interested in spiritual development should immediately obtain vidvat pratit. ‘What is the point in understanding through avidvat pratiti, falling into argument and confusion, and losing the goal of life. Some idea about vidvat pratiti has been given. Vidvat pratiti is possible for those persons who give up material Conceptions and can conceive of spirit. They can then perceive Krsna with their spiritual eyes, hear his pastimes with their spiritual ear, and relish Krsna completely with their spiritual taste buds, Krsna's pastimes are completely non- material. Though Krsna can by his inconceivable potency become the object for the material eye, by nature he is not perceivable by material senses. When Krsna descends and reveals his pastimes to the material senses, only the person with vidvat pratiti attains real contact with the Lord, Normally avidvat pratiti operates Thus most people understand Krsna as temporary being, with birth, growth and decay. By avidvat pratiti a person thinks that the impersonal state, devoid of qualities, is truth and the personal state of God, with qualities, is material. They conclude that Krsna is material since he has qualities Understanding the supreme truth is not a matter of mundane logic. How can thelimited intellect of man operate in relation to the unlimited Lord? The Supreme Truth can only be understood and relished by the devotional element which is present in the soul. This devotion or bhakti is the preliminary stage of pure love, prema, Vidvat pratiti arises only by Krsna’s mercy, for only by Krsna’s mercy does the vidya sakti help the jivas. Of all the conceptions of God existing in the world, the form of Krsna is the most suitable for developing pure love. The conception of Allah in the Koran is not suitable for developing pure love. Even the Lord's dear prophet could not see Allah's form, for though the Lord is friendly, He remains at a distance from the worshipper due to the conception of God as master. The god in the Christian faith is also some distant entity, what to speak of the impersonal Brahman. Even. Narayana is not the form by which the soul can easily obtain pure love. Krsna alone, who resides in the spiritual abode of Vraja, is the object of pure Love. The abode of Krsna is full of bliss. Though majesty also resides there in fullness, it does not predominate, rather sweetness and eternal bliss predominate. His wealth is its fruit, flowers and twigs. His citizens are the cows. His friends are the cowherd boys and his associates are the gopis. His food is butter, yogurt and milk. All the groves and forests are filled with love of Krsna. The Yamuna River is engages in Krsna's service. Everything in nature serves Him. Though elsewhere he is worshipped and revered by all as the Supreme Lord, here, as the life of all the inhabitants, he sometime descends to the worshipper's level and sometimes becomes his subordinate. If it were not like this, could the lowly living entity have arrelation of love with God? Can the Lord, who is filled with the highest sport, endowed with free will, and eager for the Love of the soul, hanker for man’s offering of worship or feel genuinely satisfied with it? Krsna, the reservoir of sweet pastimes, thus covers his majestic aspect with sweetness, accepts equality with or subordination to qualified souls in transcendental Vrndavana, and feels bliss Can anyone who accepts pure love or prema as the highest goal accept anyone other than Krsna as the object of love? Though different languages may not use the same words to describe Krsna, Vindavana, the gopas and gopis, the cows, Yamuna and the kadamba trees, those persons interested in pure love must accept the name, place, form and pastimes in some form , using some words. Thus Krsna alone is the object of pure love Until pure attraction arises in the heart of the living entity, the devotee with a sense of duty must carefully cultivate Krsna consciousness by practicing the primary and secondary rules of bhakti. One will see that there are two ways of cultivating Krsna consciousness: through rule(vidhi) and through attraction (raga). Attraction (raga) is rare. When raga develops, the path of vidhi loses its, effectiveness. But as long as raga does not develop, one must take shelter of vidhi. This is imperative for man, Therefore, scriptures outline these two paths The path of raga is extremely independent or individualistic, there are no set rules. Only those who are most advanced and fortunate can practice raga. Therefore only the rules for the path of vidhi have been systematically presented in thescriptures. Those who unfortunately do not believe in God, also formulate rules for maintaining their life. These rules are called morality. Those moral codes which do not include thought of God, cannot accomplish any good for mankind, even though presented skillfully. Such morality is materialistic. Moral codes which express belief in God and oblige service to Him are fit for mankind Rules are of two types: primary and secondary, Those rules which directly lead us to serving and satisfying the Lord are called primary rules. Those rules of life which indirectly support that goal are called secondary. This will become clear by giving an example. Taking an early moming bath isarule. By doing this, the body becomes fresh and disease free, and the mind as well becomes steady. If the mind is steady, one can worship the Lord properly. Here, the goal, worship of the Lord, is not the immediate intention of the bath. The bath's direct result is bodily comfort. If bodily comfort is accepted as the final. goal of the bath, then worship of the Lord is not achieved at all. There are many possible intervening results, between bathing and worshipping God. With such intervening agents there is possibility of obstruction. The direct result of the primary rules is worship of the Lord. There is no intervening results between the rule and worship of the Lord. Chanting the Lord's name and hearing about Him are two primary rules, because their direct result is worship of the Lord. Though we must always observe the primary rules, if we do not observe the secondary rules, we cannot maintain the body properly, nor our life. If we cannot maintain our life, how can we follow the primary rules, of devotional service? The secondary rules are the ornament of man's life Material education, technology, industry, civilization, order, perseverance, bodily, mental and social rules are accepted, in that they may be used to bring mankind to serve the feet of the Lord sincerely. Being servants of the primary rules, by the Lord's grace, they make the life of mankind blissful both during practice and perfection Though there are many types of life-primitive life, civilized life, life equipped with material sciences, atheistic moral life, theistic moral life, life endowed with vaidhi bhakti, and life endowed with prema bhakti, real life of man begins with theistic moral life. Without belief in God, lhuman life is no better than that of an animal, no matter how much civilized or advanced in scientific knowledge or moral principles it may be. Real human life operates when a person accepts the rules and prohibitions of theistic moral life. Thus in this book the discussion begins from this stage of life. Civility, morality and material science are considered as omaments to this life. How the theistic moral life culminates in devotional life will be discussed in this book. The real life of the living entity is called jpiva dharma, the souls inherent nature, For the human being, java dharma ts called manava dharma, Man's dharma is of two types: secondary and primary, or incidental and inherent. Secondary or incidental dharma takes shelter of matter, material qualities and material relations. The primary dharma takes shelter of the pure soul. The primary dharma is the real dharma of the soul. The secondarydharma is of no value, being the transformation of the primary dharma under the influence of material qualities. When the material qualities are removed the dharma of the soul exists purely as the primary dharma. Secondary dharma is also called conditioned dharma When the material conditions are removed, primary dharma remains. Secondary rules and prohibitions, piety and avoidance of sins are included in the secondary dharma. The secondary dharma does not leave the soul but matures into the primary dharma when the jiva is freed from the material modes. The secondary dharma appears in the conditioned state by an. unnatural transformation of the primary dharma. By a positive transformation of the secondary dharma the primary dharma appears again, After examining the secondary rules and prohibitions, the primary rules and prohibitions and finally the perfected stage of the jiva, prema bhakti, will be discussed Jn this first section the words "Lord", "God" and "Krsna" have all been used. The reader should not think that these words refer to separate entities, Krsna is the only form, the only object of worship by the soul. Krsna is the complete revelation of sweetness in God. When we consider Krsna in relation to other objects and need to emphasize his lordship, we use the word "Lord." That is why in the beginning the word "Lord" was used instead of Krsna. Lordship is nothing more than the natural control that Krsna displays towards the objects of his creation. In enumerating, the objects of existence, the word "Lord" is thus used cit (conscious entity), acit (matter) and isvara (Lord, controller of both). By chance, two birds have made a nest together in the same tree. The two birds are friends and re of a similar nature. One of them, however, is eating the fruits of the tree, whereas the other, who does not eat the fruits, is in a superior position due to His potency. $.B.11.11.6 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, expanding His own potency, maya sakti, created innumerable species of life to house the conditioned souls. Yet by creating the forms of trees, reptiles, animals, birds, snakes and so on, the Lord was not satisfied within His heart. Then He created human life, which offers the conditioned soul sufficient intelligence to perceive the Absolute Truth and became pleased. $.B.11.9.28 The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe, yet He has no prior cause. He pervades the various states of wakefulness, dreaming and unconscious deep sleep and also exists beyond them. By entering the body of every living being as the Supersoul, He enlivens the body, senses, life airs and mental activities, and thus all the subtle and gross organs of the body begin their functions. My dear King, know that Personality of Godhead to be the Supreme. $.B.11.3.35 1 worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose transcendental form is full of bliss, truth, substantiality and is thus full of the most dazzling splendor. Each of the limbs of that transcendental figure possesses in Himself the full-fledged functions of all the organs, and eternally sees, maintains and manifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane. Brahma Samhita 5.32I worship Govinda the primeval Lord, who is Syamasundara, Krsna himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotes see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love. BS.5.38 BG1678 1 worship that transcendental seat, known as Sveta Dvipa where as loving consorts the Laksmis in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Krsna as their only lover, where every tree is a transcendental purpose-tree, where the soil is the purpose-gem, water is nectar, every word isa song, every gait is a dance; the flute is the favorite attendant, effulgence is full of transcendental. bliss and the supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty, where numberless milch-cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk, where there is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the duration of half a moment. That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realized souls in this world. Brahma Samhita 5.56 One who is sufficiently intelligent should use the human form of body from the very beginning of life-in other words, from the tender age of childhood~to practice the activities of devotional service, giving up all other engagements. The human body is most rarely achieved, and although temporary like other bodies, it is meaningful because in human life one can perform devotional service. Even a slight amount of sincere devotional service can give one complete perfection. S.B.7.6.1 Therefore, while in material existence, a person fully competent to distinguish wrong from right must endeavor to achieve the highest goal of life as Long as the body is stout and strong and is not embarrassed by dwindling. 5.B.7.6.5 After many, many births and deaths one achieves the rare human form of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly endeavor for the ultimate perfection of life as Long as his body, which is always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all, sense gratification is available even in the most abominable species of life, whereas Krsna consciousness is possible only for a human being, $.B.11.9.29 After many, many bisths and deaths one achieves the rare human form of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly endeavor for the ultimate perfection of life as Long as his body, which is always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all, sense gratification is available even in the most abominable species of life, whereas Krsna consciousness is possible only for a human being, $.B.11.9.29 Nothing is unobtainable for devotees who have satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the cause of all causes, the original source of everything. TheLord is the reservoir of unlimited spiritual qualities. For devotee, therefore, who are transcendental to the modes of material nature, what is the use of following, the principles of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation, which are all automatically obtainable under the influence of the modes of nature? We devotees always glorify the Lotus feet of the Lord, and therefore we need not ask for anything in terms of dharma, kama, artha and moksa. $.B.7.6.25 Religion, economic development and sense gratification-these are described in the Vedas as trivarga, or three ways to salvation. within these three categories are education and self-realization, ritualistic ceremonies performed according to Vedic injunction, logic, the science of law and order; and the various means of earning, one's livelihood. These are the external subject matters of study in the Vedas, and therefore I consider them material However, I consider surrender to the Lotus feet of Lord Visnu to be transcendental. $.B.7.6.26 The gopis by their lusty desires, Kamsa by his fear, Sisupala and other kings by envy, the Yadus by their familial relationship with Krsna, you Pandavas by your great affection for Krsna, and we, the general devotees by our devotional. service, have obtained the mercy of Krsna. $.B. 7.1.31 There are two processes of practical devotional service. one is regulative devotional service, and the other is spontaneous devotional service. Those who hhave not attained the platform of spontaneous attachment in devotional service render devotional service under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master according to the regulative principles mentioned in the revealed scriptures According to the revealed scriptures, this kind of devotional service is called vaidhi bhakti. C.C Madhya 22.108-109 Krsna has many types of devotees--some are servants, some are friends, some are parents, and some are conjugal lovers. Those who are situated in one of these attitudes of spontaneous love according to their choice are considered to be on the path of spontaneous loving service. C.C Madhya 22.161 Devotees who receive such transcendental opulences are never bereft of them, neither weapons nor the change of time can destroy such opuilences, Because the devotees accept Me as their friend, their relative, their son, preceptor, benefactor and Supreme Deity, they cannot be deprived of their possessions at any time $.B3.2538 By the influence of time, the transcendental sound of Vedic knowledge was lost at the time of annihilation, Therefore, when the subsequent creation took place, 1 spoke the Vedic knowledge to Bralima because 1 Myself am the religious principles enunciated in the Vedas. Lord Brahma spoke this Vedic The devotee should not worship demigods, nor should he disrespect them. Similarly, the devotee should not study or criticize other scriptures. C.C Madhya 116 One should have firm faith that he will achieve all success in life by following those scriptures that describe the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead At the same time, one should avoid blaspheming other scriptures. $B. 11 3.26 A twice-bom person should worship Me, his worshipable Lord, without duplicity, offering appropriate paraphernalia in living devotion to My Deity form. or toa form of Me appearing upon the ground, in fire, in the sun, in water orwithin the worshiper's own heart... The Deity form of the Lord is said to appear in eight varieties-stone, wood, metal, earth, paint, sand, the mind or jewels SB. 11.27.9,12 The Lord of Laksmi, the Lord of Sita, is not different from the Supersoul Therefore 1 worship the lotus-eyed rama as my very life (statement of Hanuman) There are five branches of irreligion, appropriately known as isreligion, religious principles for which one is unfit, pretentious religion, analogical religion, and cheating religion, One wiio is aware of real religious life must abandon these five as irreligious. Religious principles that obstruct one from following his own religion are called vidharma. Religious principles introduced by others are called para dharma. A new type of religion created by on who is falsely pruned and who opposes the principles of the Vedas is called upadharma. And interpretation by one's jugglery of words is called chala dharma A pretentious religious system manufactured by one who willfully neglects the prescribed duties of his order of life is called abhasa. But if one performs the prescribed duties of his particular asrama or varna, why are they not sufficient to mitigate all material distresses? S.B.7.15.12-14 The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead. $.B.1.2.8 Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature, the feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the five of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness. S.B. Li The foolish with a poor fund of knowledge cannot know the transcendental nature of the forms, names and activities of the Lord, who is playing like an actor inadrama. nor can they express such things, neither in their speculations nor in their words. only those who render unreserved, uninterrupted, favorable service unto the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, who carries the wheel of the chariot in His hand, can know the creator of the universe in His full glory, power and transcendence. S.B.1.3.37-38 © Uddhava, both knowledge and ignorance, being products of maya, are expansions of My potency. Both knowledge and ignorance are beginningless and perpetually award liberation and bondage to embodied living beings. O most intelligent Uddhava, the living entity, called jiva, is part and parcel of Me, but due to ignorance he has been suffering in material bondage since time immemorial. By knowledge, however, he can be liberated. SB. 11.113-4 BRS.1119 The four principles of advancement in spiritual life--dharma, artha, kama and moksa--all depend on the disposition of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Therefore, my dear friends, follow in the footsteps of devotees. Without desire, fully depend upon the disposition of the Supreme Lord, worship Hum , theSupersoul, in devotional service. S.B.7.7.48 You cannot please the Supreme Personality of Godhead by becoming perfect brahmanas, demigods or great saints or by becoming perfectly good in etiquette or vast learning, None of these qualifications can awaken the pleasure of the Lord Nor by charity, austerity, sacrifice, cleanliness or vows can one satisfy the Lord The Lord is pleased only if one has unflinching, unalloyed devotion to Him. Without sincere devotional service, everything is simply a show. ...In the same favorable way that one sees himself and takes care of himself, take to devotional service to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present everywhere as the Supersoul of all living entities. $.B.7.7.51-53 Anyone whose work is not meant to elevate him to religious life, anyone whose religious ritualistic performances do not raise him to renunciation, and anyone situated in renunciation that does not lead him to devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must be considered dead, although he is breathing. S.B.3.23.56 Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan. $.B.1.2.11 Part Two The teachings of Lord Caitanya In order to understand the teachings of Lord Caitanya, we must refer to the Sri Caitanya Caritamsta. Lord Caitanya himself did not leave any written works, except the eight verses of the Siksastaka, There are few verses attributed to him in the Padyavali, but from those verses we cannot take any systematic instructions There is also a few very small books which some people claim were written by Lord Caitanya. After examining everything, we must conclude that these are all false claims. From the many works which the Goswamis wrote we can thoroughly understand Lord Caitanya's teachings, but they do no mention any works written by Lord Caitanya Himself. Sri Caitanya Caritamrta is the authoritative work. From this work we can understand the Lord's character and teachings. These teachings are confirmed perfectly by the words of the Goswamis For this reason Sri Caitanya Caritamrta is given so much respect. Sri Krsna Dasa Kaviraja appeared immediately after Lord Caitanya. Mahaprabhu's direct disciples, Raghunatha Goswami, Rupa Goswami and many others assisted Krsna Dasa in writing his work. Before him Kavi Karnapura had written Sri Caitanya Candrodayanataka and Vindavana das Thakura had written Sri Caitanya Bhagavata. These works were a preat help to Krsna Dasa Kavira. Considering all points we have had to depend upon Sri Caitanya Caritamrta During his married life, until the age of twenty-four, Caitanya would preach the glories of the Holy Name and the necessity of chanting the Lord's name to all souls in Srivasa’s courtyard, on the bank of the Ganga, in his classroom, and on the road After taking sannyasa, the Lord instructed Sarvabhauma in Puri, Ramananda Raya in Vidyanagara, Venkata Bhatta in the South, Rupa Goswami as well as Raghupati Upadhyaya and Vallabha Bhatta (by trickery), in Prayaga, and Sanatana Goswamiand Prakasananda in Varanasi. From these instructions we can understand Lord Caitanya's teachings as they are in truth. After going through all these teachings the principal points of his philosophy have been presented here Displaying extraordinary mercy to the living entities, Mahaprabhu preached pure vaisnava dharma or jaiva dharma all over India, He himself went to some places and preached. To other places he sent preachers to do the work. Giving the preachers unlimited spiritual power, he sent them out to all places, and impelled by the prema He has bestowed on them, they took up the task without expectation of pay or reward, for only a preacher of pure heart can preach the pure dharma In the present age, in various religions, people preach to eam a living, This however cannot give the intended result In the Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi Lila, 7th Chapter, it is written: Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates of the Panca tattva distributed the holy name of the Lord to invoke love of Godhead throughout the universe, and thus the entire universe was thankful. Lord Caitanya dispatched the two generals Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami to Vindavana to preach the bhakti cult. As Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami were sent toward Mathura, so Nityananda Prabhu was sent to Bengal to preach extensively the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally went to South India, and He broadcast the holy name of Lord Krsna in every village and town. Thus the Lord went to the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula, known as Setubhanda. Everywhere He distributed the bhakti cult and love of Krsna, and in this way he delivered everyone Mahaprabhu taught, in essence, that the eternal function of the living entity is Krsna prema, The living entity can never be separated from this dharma However, as a result of forgetfulness of Krsna, being deluded by maya, the living entity has attraction for other things, and this dharma is almost lost. It has become concealed within the living entity. Thus the living entity falls into material misery. If the living entity again by good fortune remembers that he is the eternal servant of Krsna, then this dharma again appears and the living entity becomes healthy. Faith in this truth is the root of all success, Faith appears in two ways. Some people develop faith after developing a distaste for the material world after many births of sukrti If by good fortune, a living entity develops faith in Krsna, he begins to associate with devotees. C.C. Madhya 23. 9 Another name for sraddha is visva By rendering transcendental Loving service to Krsna, oneautomatically performs all subsidiary activities. This confident, firm faith, favorable to the discharge of devotional service, is called sraddha C.CMadhya 22.62 Faith means that by worshipping Krsna, all the living entity's duties are accomplished.1 After performance of sukrtis, the soul becomes satisfied, and from the eternal function of the soul this natural sraddha appears. The person who has developed faith, by practicing devotional activities in the association of devotees, destroys his material attachments and gradually progresses through the stages of steadiness, taste, attachment, bhava and prema If the natural, intrinsic faith appears in an intense way, the devotee practices raga marga.3 Not considering so much the rules of scripture, he can fearlessly progress in his practice on the path of intense attraction to Krsna, However if the faith which has developed is weak, then the devotee must progress by taking the help of good advice from the authorized guru. As this faith usually starts from faith the scripture and the instruction of the guru, normally the guidance of scripture is very essential My dear sir, kindly hear the reason. My spiritual master considered Me a fool, and therefore he chastised Me, "You are a fool," he said "You are not qualified to study Vedanta philosophy, and therefore You must always chant the holy name of Krsna. This is the essence of all mantras or Vedic hymns, Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna one can obtain freedom from. material existence. Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord. In this age of Kali there is no other religious principle than the chanting of the holy name, which is the essence of all Vedic hymns, Thisis the purport of all scriptures. After describing the potency of the Hare Krsna mahamantra, My spiritual master taught Me another verse, advising me to always keep the name within My throat “ In this age of Kali there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative for spiritual progress than the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord." Since 1 received this order from My spiritual master, 1 always chant the holy name, but 1 think that by chanting and chanting the holy name 1 have been bewildered. While chanting the holy name of the Lord in pure ecstasy, 1 lose myself, and thus 1 laugh, cry, dance and sing just like a madman. Collecting My patience, therefore, 1 began to consider that chanting the holy name of Krsna had covered all My spiritual knowledge. 1 saw that 1 had become mad by chanting the holy name, and 1 immediately submitted this at the Lotus feet of my spiritual master "My dear lord, what kind of mantra have you given Me? Ihave become mad simply by chanting this mahamantra! Chanting the holy name in ecstasy causes one to dance, laugh and cry." ‘When My spiritual master heard all this, he smiled and then began to speak.“Itis the nature of the Hare Krsna maha mantra that anyone who chants it immediately develops his Loving ecstasy for Krsna, Religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation are known as the four goals of life, but before love of Godhead, the fifth and highest goal, these appear as insignificant as straw in the street." 71-85 C.CMadhya From the words, "consider this verse and keep it around your neck," we can understand that faith is nourished and grows by following scripture. According to Mahaprabhu, scripture or Vedic scripture is the only authoritative proof. Rules of logic and argument are no proof, ‘The self-evident Vedic literatures are the highest evidence of all. CC. Adi 7, 132 The conditioned soul cannot revive his Krsna consciousness by his own effort. But out of causeless mercy, Lord Krsna compiled the Vedic literature and its supplements, the Puranas ‘C.C. Madhya 20,122 tis clear that there are two types of faith, komala sraddha (weak faith) and drdha sraddha (firm faith). Bhakti that arises from firm faith is very strong and naturally intense. Mahaprabhu's views about this are expressed perfectly in the Sistastaka Concerning komala sraddha, Mahaprabhu said to Sanatana Goswami 1, by good fortune, a living entity develops faith in Krsna, he bepins to associate with devotees. When one is encouraged in devotional service by the association of devotees, one becomes free from all unwanted contamination by following the regulative principles and chanting and hearing. When one is freed from all unwanted contamination, he advances with firm faith. When firm faith in devotional service awakens, a taste for hearing and chanting also awakens. After taste is awakened, a deep attachment arises, and from that attachment the seed of love of Krsna grows in the heart, When that ecstatic emotional stage intensifies, it is called love of Godhead. Such Love is life's ultimate goal and the reservoir of all pleasure. C.CMadhya 23.9-13 For a person with strong faith, the scriptural statements have no function, but for a person of weak faith, there is not alternative but the scripture and association of devotees. For this class of faithful person initiation is necessary. From the authorized guru a devotee receives the conclusions of the scriptures and the mantra, and practices deity worship according the instructions of the guru. In this way he progresses. For this type of person the dasa mula siksa (Ten Essential Teachings) is important. One essential teaching is the authority or source of knowledge, ie. scripture. The other nine essentials are the conclusions stated by the authority of scriptureThe devotee with firm faith, by chanting the Holy Name with intrinsic faith, realizes spontaneously the nine essentials stated by the scriptures, by the mercy of the Holy Name. It is not necessary for him to digest the philosophical points raised in the scriptures. But those who have weak faith quickly fall from the devotional platform by bad association, if they do not have the backing of scriptural authority, The Vedas, which discuss brahman, are their source of, knowledge. As the Vedas, being vast in scope, have many prescriptions for those interested in fruitive action and impersonal realization, instructions for the devotee is not easy to extract. In order to clearly show the real meaning which is revealed here and there in the Vedas, the sattvika puranas have been given. Among the sattvika puranas, the Srimad Bhagavatam is the best, most explicitly explaining the highest import of the Vedas.+ Thus the Bhagavatam and the Pancaratra scriptures, which confirm the same conclusions, are counted as authoritative knowledge The Vedic literatures give information about the living entity's eternal relationship with Krsna, which is called sambandha. The living entity's understanding of this relationship and acting accordingly is called abhidhey: Returning home, back to Godhead, is the ultimate goal of life and is called prayojana, Devotional service, or sense activity for the satisfaction of the Lord, is called abhidheya because it can develop one's original Love of Godhead, which is the goal of life. This goal is the living entity's topmost interest and greatest wealth. Thus one attains the platform of transcendental Loving service unto the Lord. CC. Madhya 20, 124- 125 The relationship between the jiva, material nature and God is called 'sambandha’ Actually Krsna is one, but he has two energies-material nature and the jva. By a transformation of the material energy the material world exists, and by transformation of the jiva sakti, the jivas exist. To again establish ones position as the servant of Krsna is called fixing ones relationship In His original form the Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of transcendental opulences which are free from the contamination of the material world. It is to be understood that in all Vedic literature the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal C.C.Adi 7.139 The Vedic literatures give information about the living entity's eternal relationship with Krsna, which is called sambandha CC. Madhya 20.124 In considering the relationship there are seven topics 1. Krsna 2. Krsma's energies 3. rasa 4. jiva 5, jiva in the material realm6, jiva in the liberated state 7. acintya bhedabheda By thoroughly understanding these seven topics of scriptures, a person obtains sambandha jana By arrangement of sound is created a composition. The potency by which the meaning of sound is grasped is called the abhidha potency of the sound or the connotative power of the sound. By using the word "ten" with "elephants" we can understand a certain number of elephants. This direct meaning is called abhidheya. There is another potency of words called "laksana". In the phrase “cowherds on the Ganga," since cowherds cannot stand on the surface of the Ganga's water, by the laksana sakti we understand that the cowherds are on the bank of the Ganga. Where it is necessary to use the laksana sakti, the abhidha sakti does not operate. Where the direct meaning can be used, only the abhidha sakti functions. Jn the Vedic literatures, the meaning taken by abhidha, direct connotation, should be accepted. The direct meaning of the Vedas is called abhidheya, that which should be known. Going through all the Vedas, the abhidheya-the direct umport- of the Vedas is devotion to the Supreme Lord. Karma, jnana, and yoga have only an indirect relation to the main purport of the Vedas. Therefore the main method indicated in the scriptures for attaining the Lord is sadhana bhakti, This is the eighth topic The means is directed towards a certain goal. This goal is called the prayojana Krsna prema, the perfection of the jiva, is the goal of bhakti and the ninth topic discussed in the Vedas In teaching Sanatana, Mahaprabhu said, Thave described one's relation with Krsna in various ways. This is the subject matter of all the Vedas. Krsna is the center of all activities, Now 1 shall speak about the characteristics of devotional service, by which one can attain the shelter of Krsna and His loving transcendental service. C.CMadhya 22.3-4 In this way, Mahaprabhu taught jaiva dharma, the constitutional nature of the soul, composed of sambandha, abhidheya , and prayojana 1 As pouring water on the root of a tree energizes the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else, and as supplying food to the stomach enlivens the sense and limbs of the body, simply worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that Supreme Personality. S.B. 4.31.14 2 If somehow or other by good fortune one develops faith in hearing and chanting My glories, such a person, being neither very disgusted with nor attached tomaterial life, should achieve perfection through the path of Loving devotion to Me. $.B.11.208 3 As Long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened his taste for devotional service by sravanam kirtanam visnoh, one has to act according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions. $.B.11.20.9 4 atho'yam brahma sutranam bharatartha vinimayah gayatri bhasyarupo'sau vedartha paribrmhitah, gratho'sthadasa sahasrahah srimad bhagavatabhidhah sarvavedetihasaham saram saram samuddstam, sarvavedanta saram hi sri bhagavatam isyate tad rasamita trptasya nanyatra syad ratih kvacit The Bhagavatam explains the meaning of Mahabharata and the brahma sutras. It is the natural commentary on the gayatri mantra and full of the import of the Vedas It composed of eighteen thousand verses. It is the essence of all the Vedas, histories and the Vedanta, Satisfied with the nectarean taste of this work, one will have no attraction for anything else. Garuda Purana Part Three Krsna, Krsna sakti and rasa The eternal, blissful form of Krsna is the Supreme Lord. He is without beginning, and He is the origin of allelse. In the scriptures He is called Govinda. He is the cause of all causes. © Sanatana, please hear about the eternal form of Lord Krsna. He is the Absolute Truth, devoid of duality but present in Vrndavana as the son of, Nanda Maharaja. Krsna is the original source of everything and the sum total of everything. He appears as the supreme youth, and His whole body is composed of spiritual bliss. He is the shelter of everything and master of everyone. The original Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna, His original name is Govinda He is full of all opulences, and His eternal abode is known as Goloka Vindavana. 1 ‘C.C. Madhya 20 152-154 Itis possible for the jivas to realize the form of God, for God Himself has given man the ability to realize Him. By this ability the elevated jivas can realize the form of the Lord, Man has three means of realization: gross material organs of knowledge, the subtle body or the mind's comprehension power, and the ability of, the jiva to perceive spiritual matters. The eye, ear, nose, tongue and skin are the five organs by which the external world is understood. This is all material knowledge. By contemplation, remembrance, or meditation on objects of material knowledge, only more material knowledge, or at most, a perverted glimpse of spirit, is possible. Thus two ways of gathering knowledge are material. It is not possible to have realization of theform of the Lord, which is purely spiritual, by these bodily faculties. Unless a person takes shelter of the faculties of the soul, spiritual vision of the Lord is impossible.2 People who try to see the form of the Lord by taking shelter of the material senses practice asana, pranayama, dhyana and dharana of the yoga system, and by the process of negation, understand the Lord as the soul of the universe The final goal is a vision of the Paramatma. But by such activity, the perfect, spiritual realization cannot be obtained. All that is achieved is fragmentary realization based upon negation of material knowledge. Those with extreme negativity consider material form as abominable and imagine a formless, unchanging existence of God; they attempt to realize Brahman, But actually their vision of brahman is only a show. 3 Mahaprabhu said the Sanatana: There are three kinds of spiritual processes for understanding the Absolute Truth-the processes of speculative knowledge, mystic yoga and bhakti yoga. According to these three processes, the Absolute Truth is manifested as Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. C.C. Madhya 20.157 ‘When one accepts Vedic literature by interpretation or even by dictionary meaning, directly or indirectly the ultimate declaration of Vedic knowledge points to Lord Krsna. C.C. Madhya 20.146 Thus, when a jiva desires to see the Lord, according to his qualification, he sees the appropriate form of the Lord. Accordingly as one practices karma yoga, jnana yoga or bhakti yoga, one will see paramatma, brahman or bhagavan. The wise call the non-dual spiritual entity "tattva" or absolute truth. But this absolute entity is perceived differently by differently qualified instruments. Brahman, paramatma and bhagavan are actually one entity, but the person thinks the object which he perceives to be supreme Bhagavan is Sri Krsna. Those who disregard Krsna, thinking him to be an ordinary mortal performing material activities, have very meager understanding of spiritual truth Mahaprabhu taught Sanatana about Krsna as bhagavan, quoting from the Bhagavatam.5 Only by devotional activity can one understand the transcendental form of the Lord, which is perfect in all respects. Although His form is one, he can expand His form into unlimited numbers by His supreme will, The Supreme Personality of Godhead exists in three principal forms--svayam rupa, tadekatma rupa and avesa rupa. The original form of the Lord is exhibited in two forms-— svayam rupa and svayam prakasa. In His original form as svayam rupa, Krsna is observed as a cowherd boy in Vrndavana. In His original form, Krsna manifests Himself in two features~prabhava and vaibhava.C.C.Madhya 20. 164-167 There are six types of incarnations of Krsna. One is the incarnations of Visnu, and another is the incarnations meant for the performance of pastimes There are incarnations that control the material qualities, incarnations of the Manus, incarnations in different millenniums, and incarnations of empowered living entities. ‘C.C. Madhya 20.245-246 The conclusion is that Lord Brahma and Lord Siva are simply devotee incarnations who carry out orders. However, Lord Visnu, the maintainer, is the personal feature of Lord Krsna. 6 C.C. Madhya 20.317 The six opulences, or bhaga are complete wealth, complete courage, complete fame, complete beauty, complete knowledge and complete renunciation. That person who has all these qualities is called bhagavan. Krsna is svayam bhagavan, because He reveals most completely all the qualities by His very nature. There is no entity equal to or greater than Krsna. He resides eternally in His original form in Goloka. His direct expansions or tad ekatma rupa, perform their activities by His will. Mahavisnu is Krsna's first purusavatara. He lies on the Karana ocean. His partial expansions are Garbodasayi and Ksirodasayi Visnu. The avataras such as Rama and Nrsimha are expansions from them, But Krsna is svayam bhagavan, the source of the purusavataras. Though Krsna is supreme, he appears in the material world as the son of Nanda, by his inconceivable power The brahman which is mentioned in the Upanisads is but His effulgence. 7 The paramatma which is mentioned in the Upanisads and the Yoga scriptures is one part of Krsna8. There are many proofs for these two statements in the scriptures This cannot be understood by reasoning or logical rules As the light spreads out from the sun, from Krsna, endowed with all wonderful qualities, unlimited rays spread out in all directions. Characterized by negative attributes such as formlessness, those rays take the form of impersonal Brahman in the hearts of men cultivating negation of material consciousness. Yopis seek out Paramatma, the expansion of Krsna, who creates and enters into the universe. The object of worship for the less intelligent men is but a transformation of material sattva guna, which has qualities such as formlessness. Out of fear of contamination by worship of human forms or material qualities, the less intelligent resort to the formless and unchanging concept, but by this they are deprived of Krsna prema. By material conception, the pure dharma of the jiva becomes polluted. Those who become attracted to Krsna’s glories and beauty are saved from the negative, impersonal mentality and see the kingdom of God. The jiva can by good fortune attain this unlimited happiness, but aman whose intelligence is overcome by material knowledge cannot reach this spiritual kingdom. Though Krsna is eternally the lord of Goloka, by his inconceivable power hedescends to the material world by his own will along with his residence, Vrajp, and yet carries out his activities in a pure, variegated way. The jiva can understand these transcendental activities of the Lord by the pure vision of his soul, and not by the material eye.9 Though Krsna may become visible to the material eye by his power, usually he remains invisible. As the pastimes of Krsna are eternal, not polluted by material time and place, they are visible only to the devotional eye of the pure spirit soul, and held in the mind saturated with love. 10 As long as a person tries to approach Krsna with pride of material knowledge, Krsna will remain far away. When a person calls out to Krsna with a humble heart, he sees Krsna and experiences the Lord's unlimited bliss, With the appearance of genuine faith, he Loses his material pride and offensive nature. There is no room for caste, birthright, material knowledge, beauty, power, influence of material science, position, wealth, or kingdom in cultivating Krsna consciousness. For this reason understanding of Krsna remains far away from those who are proud of their material status, Thus it is easy to understand why Krsna is disregarded in the modern world.11 The unfortunate position of science is that it tries to know truths which are beyond is scope. Though it has no qualification for spiritual matters, it tries recklessly to understand, and ends up with worthless conclusions and a depraved mentality. Krsna gives his mercy when a jiva shows humility born of association with devotees. This is his qualification for spiritual matters. It is impossible to gain spiritual knowledge by material intellect.12 Krsna's energies Krsna's energies are unlimited, The meager knowledge of the jiva can not even understand what energies exist in the various parts of the unlimited universe. In the spisitual world, across the Vira, exists Vaikuntha and above that, Goloka Vrajz. In Vaikuntha four armed Narayana displays all majesty. In Goloka, with the predominance of sweetness, all majesty is hidden.13 Krsna is the possessor of, all energies. He has one great energy, which is called maya in many places in the scriptures, Maya means the external manifestation of Krsna, by the definition “miyate anaya," --"that by which things are measured", Krsna cannot be understood except through the agency of maya. Leamed men divide Krsna’s energy into the superior, spiritual energy (cit sakti) and inferior or material energy (maya sakti), Actually the superior energy is the inconceivable energy. The inferior energy is its shadow. That inferior energy is the controller of the material universe.14 The maya sakti which is condemned in spiritual discussions is this inferior energy, not the spiritual energy Lord Krsna naturally has three energetic transformations, and these are known as the spiritual potency, the living entity potency and the illusory potency C.C. Madhya 20.111 Krsna has unlimited potencies, out of which three are chief-- willpower, the power of knowledge and the creative energy.C.CMadhya 20.252 The Supreme Personality of Godhead in His original form is full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. The spiritual potency in these three portions assumes three different forms. The three portions of the spiritual potency are called hladini, sandhini and samvit, We accept knowledge of these as full knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The spiritual potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead also appears in three phases--internal, marginal and external. These are all engaged in His devotional service in love ‘C.C. Madhya 20.158-160 This means that Krsna has one personal energy called svarupa saksti or para sakti This para sakti has three vibhavas, three prabhavas and three anubhavas by Krsna's will. 15 The three vibhavas are the cit sakti, jiva sakti and maya sakti, The three prabhavas are the iccha sakti, kriya sakti and jnana sakti, The three anubhavas are sandhini, hladini and samvit By the influence of the iccha sakti (Supreme Will), the cit sakti manifests Goloka, Vaikuntha and other places of the Lord's pastimes, Krsna's names, the Lord's various two handed or four handed or six handed forms, the pastimes with his associates in Goloka, Vmdavana, and Vaikuntha, and spiritual qualities such as mercy, forgiveness, and generosity. By the influence of the jana sakti, the cit sakti produces various perceptions: aisvarya, madhurya, and beauty of the spiritual world. Krsna alone possesses the iccha sakti. The controller of the jnana sakti is Vasudeva and the controller of the kriya sakti is Baladeva, or Sankarsana, By the influence of the iccha sakti, jana sakti and kriya sakti upon the jiva sakti, the forms of eternal associates, devatas, men, demons and raksasas appear. By the influence of Krsna's kriya sakti, the Lord's activities become manifest Within the cit sakti, the sandhini, samvit and hladint saktis combine to produce the distinctive ecstasies of prema. This energy is unlimited and endless. All the activities of the cit sakti are eternal. Although there is no question of creation as far as the spiritual world is concerned, the spiritual world is nonetheless manifest by the supreme will of Sankarsana, The spiritual world is the abode of the pastimes of the eternal spiritual energy .C. Madhya 20.257 By the agency of the material energy, this same Lord Sankarsana creates all the universes. The dull material energy--known in modern language as nature—~is not the cause of the material universe. Without the Supreme Personality of Godhead's energy, dull matter cannot create the cosmic manifestation. Its power does not arise from the material energy itself but is endowed by Sankarsana. Dull matter alone cannot create anything, The material energy produces the creation by the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Iron itself has no power to burn, but when iron is placed in fire, it is empowered to burnC.CMadhya 20.259-261 Another name of the shadow energy is material nature. The kriya sakti is also called sankarsana sakti. The transitory transformation of maya sakti is the material world. The jiva salsti will be more clearly delineated in the next chapter Rasa Krsna is the embodiment of rasa, That is the statement of the Vedas. One can appreciate the nature of rasa by consulting the seventh part of first chapter. Words are material and therefore whatever is said, even with great care, is bound to have material connotation. If the reader is endowed with faith however, the transcendental rasa will appear in his heart. This will arise through association and good fortune. It cannot arise through reasoning. And by bad association, a material conception of rasa (as with sahajiyas), will lead to the downfall of the inquisitive. The nature of rasa must be understood with great care Krsna Himself, endowed with sixty four transcendental qualities, is the perfect embodiment of continuous rasa 16 Of these fifty qualities are present in small amount in the jivas. These fifty qualities and an additional five qualities are present in Siva, Brahma, Ganesa, Surya and other devatas. For that reason, though. they are not God, they are also called isvara or Lord. These fifty-five qualities and an additional five are present in fullness in Narayana and the avataras. These sixty qualities and an additional four extraordinary qualities are present in Krsna. For this reason Krsna is the Supreme Lord, the Supreme possessor of power All the variety existing in the svarupa sakti become personified forms who assist in the santa, dasya, vatsalya, sakhya and madhurya rasas. The embodiment of hhladini, Radha, is the principal personality. Though this rasa is present in Goloka Vraj, by Krsna's will, yogamaya, the cit sakti, manifests this same rasa perfectly in the Vrap of the material world. But those whose intelligence cannot surpass material qualities, not being able to appreciate or understand the transcendental nature of rasa, will disregard it. As Srimad Bhagavatam says, those who are filled with faith and describe or hear about rasa quickly attain prema, the perfect stage of devotion, and become freed from the material disease afflicting the heart. 17 This is Mahaprabhu's highest teaching, 1 Lowest of all is located Devi dhama, next above it is Mahesa dhama, above Mahesa dhama is placed Hari dhama and above them all is Located Krsna's own realm named Goloka. 1adore the Primeval Lord Govinda, who has allotted their respective authorities to rulers of those graded realms. BS. 5.43 2 When a diseased eye is treated with medicinal ointment it gradually recovers its power tosee. Similarly, as a conscious living entity cleanses himself of material contamination by hearing and chanting the pious narrations of My glories, he regains his ability to see me, the absolute truth, in My subtle spiritual form. S.B.11.14.26 3 Therefore, control your speaking, subdue the mind, conquer the life air, regulate the senses and through purified intelligence bring your rational faculties under control. In this way you will never again fall onto the path of material existence A transcendentalist who does not completely control his words and mind by superior intelligence will find that his spiritual vows, austerities and charity flow away just as water flows out of an unbaked clay pot. Being surrendered to Me, one should control the speech, mind and life air, and then through loving devotional intelligence one will completely fulfill the mission of lif. S.B.11.16.42- 44 4 Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramatma or bhagavan. $.B.1.2.11 5 All the above mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists. 5.B.1.3.28 6 By his will, I create, Lord Siva destroys, and He himself, in His eternal form as the Personality of Godhead, maintains everything. He is the powerful controller of these three energies. S.B. 2.6.31 7 1 worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose effulgence is the source of the non- differentiated Brahman mentioned in the Upanisads, being differentiated from the infinity of glories of the mundane universe and which appears as the indivisible, infinite and limitless truth. BS.5.40 8 You should know Krsna to be the original Soul of all living entities. For the benefit of the whole universe, He has, out of His causeless mercy, appeared as an. ordinary, human being. He has done this by the strength of His internal potency $.B.10.14.55 90 Vyasadeva, your vision is completely perfect. Your good fame is spotless. You are firm in vow and situated in truthfulness. And thus you can think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of the people in general from all material bondage. $.B.1.5.13 10 Thus he fixed his mind, perfectly engaged it by linking it in devotional service, without any tinge of materialism, and thus he saw the Absolute Personality of Godhead along with his external energy, which was under full control. S.B.1.7.4 11 The intelligence of cruel-minded persons is blinded by false pride based on great wealth, opulence, prestigious family connections, education, renunciation, personal beauty, physical strength and successful performance of Vedic rituals Being intoxicated with this false pride, such cruel persons blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees. S.B.11.59 12 My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your Lotus feet, he can understand the greatness of Your personality, But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years. 5.B.10.14.29 13 O supreme great one! O Supreme Personality of Godhead! O Supersoul, master of all mystic power! Your pastimes are taking place continuously in these three worlds, but who can estimate where, how and when You are employing Your spiritual energy and performing these innumerable pastimes? No one can understand the mystery of how Your spiritual energy acts. 5.B.10.14.21140 Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, hhas no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness. S.B.2.9.33 15 My dear Lord, in Your impersonal manifestation of Brahman there are always two opposing elements--knowledge and ignorance. Your multienergies are continually manifest, but the impersonal Brahman, which is undivided, original, changeless, unlimited and blissful, is the cause of the material manifestation Because You are the same impersonal Brahman, 1 offer my respectful obeisances unto You. S.B.4.9.16 1OBRS2.1 17 Anyone who faithfully hears or describes the Lord's playful affairs with the young gopis of Vrndavana will attain the Lord's pure devotional service. Thus he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart. S.B.10.33.30 D Part Four Jiva, Conditioned and Liberated States Mahaprabhu has himself explained this to Sanatana Goswami Krsna is the nondual Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although He is one, He maintains different personal expansions and energies for His pastimes. Krsna expands Himself in many forms. Some of them are personal expansions, and some are separate expansions. Thus He performs pastimes in both the spiritual and material worlds. The spiritual worlds are the Vaikuntha plnaets, and the material universes are brahmandas, gigantic globes governed by Lord Brahma. The living entites are divided into two categories, Some are eternally liberated, and others are eternally conditioned. Those who are eternally liberated are always awake to Krsna consciousness, and they render transcendental loving service at the feet of Lord Krsna. They are to be considered eternal associates of Krsna, and they are eterally enjoying the transcendental bliss of serving Krsna. Apart from the ever-liberated devotees, there are the conditioned souls who always turn away from the service of the Lord. They are perpetually conditioned in this material world and are subjected to the material tribulations brought about by different bodily forms in hellish conditions. Due to his being opposed to Krsna consciousness, the conditioned soul is punished by the witch of the external energy, maya. He is thus ready to suffer the threefold miseris-miseris brough about the body and mind, the inimical behaviour of other living entities and natural disturbances caused by the demigods. In this way the conditioned soul becomes the servant of lusty desires, and when these are not fulfilled, he becomes a servant of anger and continues to be kicked by external energy, maya Wandering and wandering throughout the universe, he may by chance get the association of a devotee physician, whose instructions and hymns make the witch of external energy flee. The conditioned soul thus gets into touch with the devotional service of Lord Krsna, and in this way he can approach nearer and nearer to the LordC.CMadhya 22.7-15 tis the living entity's constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Krsna because he is the marginal energy of Krsna and a manifestation simultaneously one and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire ‘C.C. Madhya 20.108-109 To Rupa Gosvami: In this universe there are limitless living entities in 8.400,000 species, and all are wandering within this universe. The length and breadth of the living entity is described as one ten- thousandth part of the tip of a hair. 1 This is the original subtle nature of the living entity. .C. Madhya 19.138-139 To Sarvabhauma: The Lord is the master of the potencies, and the living entity is the servant of them. That is the difference between the Lord and the living entity. However, you declare that the Lord and the living entities are one and the same. In Bhagavad gita the living entity is established as the marginal potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yet you say that the living entity is completely different from the Lord C.C Madhya 9, 162-3 The meaning of these statements is that Krsna, who is endowed with inconceivable energies, by His will , through His cit sakti, enjoys in two ways--through his personal expansions or svamsa and through his separated parts, vibhinnamsas. He expands himself as the caturvyuha and innumerable avataras as svamsa forms, He expands himself as the sum of all jivas as His separated parts. The expansion of his svamsa forms is the activity of the cit sakti, All these forms are visnu tattva, endowed with all power. All these parts obtain complete power from the complete Krsna. Though one great candle lights up innumerable candles, it does not lose any power, and yet the innumerable candles have the same power as the original candle.2 All these forms are supreme, and do not suffer the results of karma, yet though like Krsna they are of independent will, they are subordinate to Krsna's will Infinitesimal particles of the cit sakti, in the form of separated parts, are the jivas 3 They are also called the tatastha sakti, The tatastha sakti lies between the cit sakti and the maya sakti. Though the maya sakti is not intrinsic in the jiva, due to his minute nature and consequent weakness, the jiva becomes attracted to maya, Itis from Krsna's inconceivable power alone that such an energy as the jiva is manifest ts cause is but Krsna's independent will The separated parts, all the jivas, are liable to suffer the results of karma.+ As long as the jivas stay fixed in the service of Krsna by their choice, they are free of maya or karma, but when by misuse oftheir free will, they desire to enjoy for themselves and they forget their inherent service to Krsna, they become deluded by maya and controlled by karma. When they realize that service to Krsna is their inherent nature, they become free from the bondage of karma and the affliction of maya.5 Because their bondage exists before entry into the material universe, their bondage is called "anadi," without beginning, and they are called eternally conditioned. Those who are not bound like this are called eternally liberated From the above facts, one can see a great difference between the natures of the Lord and the jivas. The Lord is the controller of maya and the jiva is attracted to maya and finally become bound up.6 Considering that the jiva is but a part of the complete form of Krsna, one must conclude that the particle or jiva is a different entity from Krsna, Yet the jiva, being an energy of the Lord, must be considered as. non-different as well. Therefore Mahaprabhu gave the jiva an identity of difference and non-difference and taught the principle of acintya bhedabheda. Giving the examples of the rays of the sun and sparks from the fire he concluded that the sivas are eternally different, but yet integral parts of the Lord Itis not possible to conclude that the jiva is the Supreme Brahman or God by occasional statements of the Vedas, such as "aham brahmasmé". Krsna or Visnu tattva is the only Supreme Brahman. Because the jiva is a type of spiritual or conscious entity he can be called brahman. The brahman, Krsna's effulgence, expands as paramatma in the material universe and as the impersonal, formless, imperceptible, unattainable, inconceivable brahman outside the universe. As Krsna's inconceivable vibhinnamsas, the jivas take up a variety for forms, such as, devas, humans, yaksas, raksasas, beasts, birds, insects, reptiles, and ghosts. Among all the forms, however, that of the human is considered the best, for itis most suitable for practicing devotional service. But even in human form, the jivas suffer hellish existence or enjoy heavenly delights. Forgetting Krsna, the jiva, under the control of maya, seeks to fulfill his desires The minute conscious particle, the jiva, is by nature the servant of Krsna, the complete conscious being, Service to Krsna is the nature of the jiva. Forgetting this eternal nature, the jiva remains in bondage. When the jiva remembers his eternal nature he attains freedom. The inherent power or sakti of the living, conscious entity, is also present in the tiny conscious jiva, but in minute degree Therefore the jiva is almost without power by his very nature. But in the liberated state, the jiva gains the sakti from Krsna and to that degree becomes powerful Just by thinking himself a spiritual entity the jiva cannot obtain the power. This type of liberation is called nirvana. By identifying himself as the servant of Krsna, the jiva obtains power from Krsna and finally attains eternal bliss. Fear, the by- product of illusion, is removed completely The various forms that the conditioned jiva takes are but the result of individual actions.7 The qualities of the material world are not the constitution of the jiva. If one believes that the jiva is actually a product of maya, then one is a mayavadi. The jiva is in reality a pure spiritual entity, under the spiritual potency. But because of the marginal nature of the jiva, the jiva has a tendency to becomebound by maya. But he is only forgetting the inherent nature, service to Krsna, the pure jiva's state, form and transformations are all spiritual 8 Being of infinitesimal nature, the jivas become bound by maya. First the subtle, mental body covers the pure form, and then, when the time comes to act in the world , the gross body suitable to the action it deserves covers the subtle body. The subtle and gross forms are but abnormal conditions induced by maya upon the pure soul's form. There is thus some similarity between the two forms Barth, water, fire, air, and ether make up the gross body. Mind, intellect and false ego make up the subtle body. On removing these coverings, the jiva attains liberation from maya. Then the jiva's spiritual form is revealed. The liberated jiva performs his actions through the senses of the soul, Eating, recreation, sexual activities with women, excretory functions, sickness, injury, and suffering due to want, as found in the material world, do not exist in the spiritual body. These activities affect only the gross body, but by thinking that he is the body, the jiva accepts all these activities and experiences material pleasure and pain. 10 Though a person may be liberated, if he maintains pride in material knowledge or remains attached to negation of material existence, then he cannot attain a spiritual body suitable for service to Krsna in the spiritual world.11 Liberation achieved through devotional association gives rise to such a spiritual body. 12 Liberation due to association with jnanis is only a pretense of liberation. For the {i8a, this is an unfortunate position, 13 In this chapter the jiva's pure form, his Conditioned form and form in liberation have been discussed. What the jiva should do and not do will be discussed elsewhere 1 balagra sata bhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca bhago jivah sa vijneyah sa canantaya kalpyate Svetasvatara Upanisad 5.9. 2 The light of one candle being communicated to other candles, although it burns separately in them, is the same in its quality. 1 adore the Primeval Lord Govinda who exhibits Himself equally in the same mobile manner in his various manifestations. B.S.5.46 3 Among subtle things 1am spirit soul, and of things that are difficult to conquer 1 am the mind. $.B.11.16.11 4 The bird who does not eat the fruits of the tree is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who by His omniscience perfectly understands His own position and that of the conditioned living entity, represented by the eating bird. That living entity, on the other hand, does not understand himself or the Lord. He is covered by ignorance and is thus called eternally conditioned, whereas the Personality of Godhead, being full of perfect knowledge, is eternally liberated. S.B.11.11.7 5 Fear arises when a living entity misidentifies himself as the material body because of absorption in the external, illusory energy of the Lord. When the living entity thus turns away from the Supreme Lord, he also forgets his own constitutional position as a servant of the Lord. This bewildering, fearful condition is effected by the potency for illusion, called maya, Therefore, an intelligent person should engage unflinchingly in the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord, under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, whom he shouldaccept as his worshipable deity and as his very life and soul 6 My Lord, by Your unbroken transcendental glance You are the supreme witness of all stages of intellectual activities. You are eternally liberated, Your existence is, situated in pure goodness, and You are existent in the Supersoul without change You are the original Personality of Godhead, full with six opulences, and You are eternally the master of the three modes of material nature. Thus, You are always different from the ordinary living entities. AS Lord Visnu, You maintain all the affairs of the entire universe, and yet You stand aloof and are the enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices $.B119.15 7 The material mind of men is shaped by the reactions of fruitive work. Along with the five senses, it travels from one material body to another. The spirit soul, although different from this mind, follows it. 5.B.11.22.37 8 Having achieved this human form of life, which affords one the opportunity to realize Me, and being situated in My devotional service, one can achieve Me, the reservoir of all pleasure and the Supreme Soul of all existence, residing within the heart of every living being. 5.B.11.26.1 OBGT45 10 An unintelligent mind, failing to distinguish himself from material nature, thinks nature to be real. By contact with it he becomes completely bewildered and enters the cycle of material existence. S.B.11.22.51 Just as one may imitate persons whom one sees dancing and singing, similarly the soul, although never the doer of material activities, becomes captivated by material intelligence and is thus forced to imitate its qualities. $.B.11.22.53 The soul's material life, his experience of sense gratification, is actually false, O descendant of Dasarha, just like trees' appearance of quivering when the trees are reflected in agitated water, or like the earth's appearance of spinning due to one's spinning his eyes around, or like the world of a fantasy or dream. For one who is, meditating on sense gratification, material life, although lacking factual existence, does not go away, just as the unpleasant experiences of a dream do not. $.B.11.22 54-56 11 1 regret that during this lifetime you will not be able to see Me anymore. Those who are incomplete in service and who are not completely free from all material taints can hardly see Me. $.B.1.6.21 12 And so, © Brahmana Vyasadeva, in due course of time 1, who was fully absorbed in thinking of Krsna and who therefore had no attachments, being completely freed from all material taints, met with death, as lightning and illumination occur simultaneously. Having been awarded a transcendental body befitting an associate of the Personality of godhead, 1 quit the body made of five material elements, and thus all acquired fruitive results of work stopped $.B.1.6.27-28 13 0 Lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penance to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure, They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet. $.B.10.2.32Part Five acintya bheda abheda tattva Krsna, his energies, rasa, the jiva in conditioned and liberated state have been discussed in previous chapters. In this chapter acintya bhedabheda will be briefly discussed. First, Mahaprabhu's instructions on this matter will be given. In his Vedanta sutra Srila Vyasadeva has described that everything is but a transformation of the energy of the Lord.1 Sankaracarya, however, has misled the world by commenting that Vyasadeva was mistaken, Thus he has raised great opposition to theism throughout the entire world. According to Sankaracarya, by accepting the theory of the transformation of the energy of the Lord, one creates an illusion by indirectly accepting that the Absolute Truth is transformed. Transformation of energy is a proven fact. It is the false bodily conception of the self that is an illusion. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is opulent in all respects, Therefore by His inconceivable energies He has transformed the material cosmic manifestation 2 Using the example of a touchstone, which by its energy tums iron to gold and yet remains the same, we can understand that although the Supreme Personality of Godhead transforms his innumerable energies, He remains unchanged. Although touchstone produces many varieties of valuable jewels, it nevertheless remains the same. 1t does not change its original form. C.C.Adi 7121-126 ‘When we speak of the Supreme as impersonal, we deny His spiritual potencies. Logically, if you accept half of the truth, you cannot understand the whole CC. Adi 7.140 To Sarvabhauma: Vedanta sutra is the summary of all the Upanisads, therefore whatever direct meaning is there in the Upanisads is also recorded in the Vedanta sutra or Vyasa sutra. For each verse the direct meaning must be accepted without interpretation ‘C.C. Madhya 6.133-134 To the sannyasis Varanasi: The Vedic sound vibration omikara, the principle word in the Vedic literatures, is the basis of all Vedic vibrations. Therefore one should accept omkara as the sound representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the reservoir of the cosmic manifestation. It is the purpose of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to present pranava as the reservoir of all Vedic knowledge The words “tat tvam asi" are only a partial explanation of the Vedic knowledge Pranava is the mahavakya in the Vedas. Sankaracarya's followers cover this to stress without authority the mantra "tat tvam asi." 3 C.C.Adi 7128-130Vedanta philosophy consists of words, spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Narayana in the form of Vyasadeva. The material defects of mistakes, illusions, cheating and sensory inefficiently do not exist in the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Absolute Truth is described by the Upanisads and Brahma sutra, but one must understand the verses as they are That is the supreme glory in understanding. Sripad Sankaracarya has described all the Vedic literatures in terms of indirect meanings. One who hears such explanations is ruined. Sankaracarya is not at fault, for he has thus covered the real purpose of the Vedas under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead According to direct understanding, the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has all spiritual opulences. No one can be equal to or greater than Him, Everything about the Supreme Personality of Godhead is spiritual, including His body, opulence and paraphernalia, Mayavada philosophy, however, covering His spiritual opulence, advocates the theory of impersonalism, The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of spiritual potencies. Therefore His body, name, fame and entourage are all spiritual. The Mayavadi philosopher, due to ignorance, says that these are all merely transformations of the material mode of goodness. Sankaracarya, who is an incarnation of Lord Siva, is faultless because he is a servant carrying out the orders of the Lord.+ But those who follow his Mayavadi philosophy are doomed. They will Lose all their advancement in spiritual, knowledge C.C.Adi 7106-114 Pranava or omkara is an indirect name of Krsna, the original sound of the Vedas, sabda brahma, The noun "pranava" is formed from the verb pranu (to sound) made from the prefix pra (very much) and the verb nu (to praise). Therefore pranava or omkara is the sound incarnation of the Supreme Brahman, the person worthy of our praise and worship From omkara all the Vedas have appeared. Prana is the seed of the Vedas, the mahavakya or principal sound. All other parts of the Vedas are particular statements of relative value. Sankaracarya, the formulator of mayavada philosophy, minimized the prominent position of omkara and proclaimed four specialized statements as mahavakya: 1. aham brahmasmi (1am brahman) 2. prajnanam brahma (brahman is knowledge) 3. tattvam asi (you are that brahman) 4. ekam eva advitiyam (There is only one existent being, ) Seeing a need to hide pranava, the seed of the Vedas, because it proclaims pure devotion, Sankaracarya took other statements as the essence of the Vedas and preached exclusive monism. He taught that the conditioned jva is simply an illusion produced by maya, that the brahman is subjected to maya, and that liberation for the jiva is the absence of maya. By this philosophy the pure relation of jiva with the Supreme brahman becomes hidden. The import of all the Vedas hhas not been considered. Thus, Madhvacarya took other Vedic statements and established an opposing philosophy, dvaitavad. However, because he did not consider all the Vedic statements, the full relation of the jiva to the Lord was not revealed. Ramanucarya as well, in his visistadvaita philosophy, did not show the complete relationship. Nimbarka Swami, propounder of Dvaitadvaita, preached asomewhat incomplete doctrine. Visnu Swami also, in his suddhadvaita doctrine, left some ambiguity. In order to establish the eternal nature of prema, Mahaprabhu gave pure, complete teachings about the relationship of jiva with the Lord through. the doctrine of acintya bhedabheda, and in this way delivered the world from the darkness of mental speculation. Mahaprabhu said that the only mahavakya is pranava. Its meaning is evident in the Upanisads. What the Upanisads teach is perfectly sanctioned by Vyasa in the Vedanta Sutras. The commentary of the Vedanta sutras is the Srimad Bhagavatam. The first sutra teaches that the principle of transformation is the truth, yato va imant bhutani jayante (Taittriya Upanisad) also supports this. The Bhagavatam, also establishes this truth. Fearing that with the principle of transformation, the brahman becomes changeable, Sankara established vivarta-vada, the theory of illusion. This vivarta-vad is the root of all faults Parinama-vada, transformation through the Lord's energies, is approved by all scriptures and is the principle of pure existence. If the eternal existence of the Lord's energies is not accepted in parinama-vada, then the defects of the Lord falling under illusion and deterioration of the Lord appear. But if the eternal, natural, superior energy of the Lord is accepted, then there is no fault in parinama- vada The transformations of the Lord's energy, which give rise to the material universe, are factual, but the Lord does not change. By transformation of the Lord's energies, the material world and the jivas take their existence. Though gold is produced from the touchstone, the touchstone remains unaffected. In this example given by Mahaprabhu, it is clear that Krsna's energies perform the creation, whereas Krsna's remains unaffected. It is all the transformation of His energies. By transformation of the cit sakti, the Lord's dhama, name, form, qualities, pastimes and the jivas as minute transformations exist. By transformation of the maya sakti, the material world (fourteen worlds) and the subtle and gross bodies of the jivas appear. This parinama-vada is found everywhere in the Vedanta Sutras and the Upanisads. The gradual evolution of mahatattva, ahankara, ether, fire. air, water and earth is also parinamavada After all the efforts of advaitavada, what is left is an imaginary jiva and imaginary world, but in pure parinama-vada, by Krsna's will, the material world and the jivas exist as true entities.5 The world is not illusion, but temporary, since by Krsna's will it may dissolve. Although the Lord creates the world and enters into it, he remains eternally independent in his form as Krsna served by his spiritual energies.6 Only those who can understand this remarkable feature of the Lord are able to taste the Lord's opulence and sweetness. This is the relation of the jiva to Krsna, The jiva's relation with the temporary world is like that of a traveler at an inn Yukta vairagya, the proper way to deal with the world, arises from a correct understanding of the relation between jiva and the material energy. As long as the correct understanding of temporary and permanent does not arise, the bound jivacannot perform proper activities, According to Lord Caitanya's doctrine, the jiva's identity and difference from the Lord, and the world’s difference and identity with the Lord are both established as truth. Since this cannot be adjusted by limited human reasoning, this eternal difference and non difference is called acintya or inconceivable, Though it is inconceivable, logic and reasoning are not dissatisfied, for it is reasonable that God can have inconceivable power. Whatever is established by the Lord's inconceivable power, can only be understood by the Lord's mercy. 7 The ancient sages have taught that logic cannot be applied to the inconceivable, for in inconceivable matters, logic cannot be accepted as a proof. 8 Those who cannot grasp this are most unfortunate. 1 The blazing fire is different from the flames, from the sparks and from the smoke, although all are intimately connected because they are born from the same blazing wood. S..B.3.28.40 2 After the incarnation of the first purusa, the mahat-tattva, or the principles of material creation, take place, and then time is manifested, and in course of time the three qualities appear, Nature means the three qualitative appearances. They transform into activities. Material activities are caused by the mahat-tattva's being, agitated, At first there is transformation of the modes of goodness and passion, and later~due to the mode of ignorance--matter, its knowledge, and different activities of material knowledge come into play. S.B.2.5.22-23 3 From the beginning of creation, the three words om tast sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. B.G.17.23 4 Padma Purana Uttara Khanda Krsna orders Siva: svagamaih kalpitais trsna janan mad vimukhan kuru mam ca gopaya tena syat srstir esottarottara In the future you should create scriptures by which people will turn from me. 1 will become hidden. Padma Purana: mayavadam asacchastrat pracchannam bauddham eva ca mayaiva vihitam devi kalau brahmana murtina The Mayavada philosophy is incorrect. It is covered Buddhism. It will be created by me through a Brahmana in Kali yuga 5 My dear Lord, devotional service unto You is the best path for self realization. If someone gives up that path and engages in the cultivation of speculative knowledge, he will simply undergo a troublesome process and will not achieve his desired result, As a person who beats an empty husk of wheat cannot get grain one who simply speculates cannot achieve self-realization, His only gain is trouble. $.B.10.14.4 6SB19.34 7S.B.1931 8 acintya khalu ye bhava na tams tarkena yojayet prakrtibhyah ruvam (?) yacca tad acintyasya laksanam That which is inconceivable cannot be subject to logic. Those things beyond our material experience are considered inconceivable. naisa tarkena matir apaneya The goal cannot be reached by Logic.Vedic statements Part Six Sadhana Bhakti Seven of the topics of discussion were concerning sambandha or relationship. By that knowledge a person can understand that having forgotten his relationship with Krsna, he has fallen into the material ocean and is experiencing misery. To extinguish this suffering a person must reestablish this relationship. Then all suffering is finished and he experiences bliss. The jva is an eternally perfect spiritual entity, with factual bondage or suffering. The suffering occurs because of the illusory identification of the body with self. Mistaking a rope for snake and sea shell for silver are two examples of illusion mentioned in the Vedas. not understanding these examples properly the mayavadis mistakenly believe that the existence of the jiva is an illusion of brahman. When a ja, by the mercy of an authorized guru understands that these two examples do not refer to the illusory existence of the jiva but rather to the identification of self with subtle and gross bodies, he is on the right course This is the difference between parinama (transformation) and vivarta (illusion). ‘When an object undergoes a change of form, it is called parinam or vikara changing milk to yogurt by addition of acid culture is a transformation, When an object does not exist, but another object is mistaken for it, that is called vivarta, illusion. Though the snake is not present, by mistake a person may think a piece of rope to be a snake. Though silver is not present, one can mistake a piece of sea shell for silver. To mistake one thing for another is vivarta bhrama. The jiva isa pure spiritual entity. He is not actually bound by maya, but when the illusory factor becomes strong enough to create the illusion that the body is the self vivarta bhrama takes place.1 This conditioned state of the jiva is the state of vivarta. How Long does this illusion last? When a person take instruction from a bona fide guru and firmly identifies himself as servant of Krsna, the illusion ends Therefore if a person gives up the motive of liberation and performs devotional service, this illusion will easily be removed. With a motive for liberation he does not achieve his real nature, but rather cultivates negativity 3 Bhaktiis the only means. Uninformed people re ect bhakti and take karma or nana as the practice + Though karma and jnana can be to some extent practiced in a minor way, they can never be the main practice. 5 Mahaprabhu said to Sanatana, Devotional service to Krsna is the chief function of the living entity. There are different methods for the liberation of the conditioned soul--karma, jnana, yoga and bhakti--but all are dependent on bhakti. But for devotional service, all other methods for spiritual self-realization are weak and insignificant. Unless one comes to the devotional service of Lord Krsna, jnana and yoga cannot give the desired results. Speculative knowledge alone, without devotional service, is not able to give liberation. On the other hand, even without knowledge one can obtainliberation if one engages in the Lord's devotional service The living entity is bound around the neck by the chain of maya because he has forgotten that he is eternally a servant of Krsna. If the conditioned soul engages in the service of the Lord and simultaneously carries out the orders of his spiritual master and serves him he can get out of the clutches of maya and become eligible for shelter at Krsna's lotus feet. The followers of the varnasrama institution accept the regulative principles of the four social orders and four spiritual orders. However, if one carries out the regulative principles of the orders but does not render transcendental service to Krsna, he falls into the hellish condition of material life. There are many philosophical speculators belonging to the Mayavada school who consider themselves liberated and call themselves Narayana. However, their intelligence is not purified unless they engage in Krsna’s devotional service.6 ‘C.C. Madhya 22.17-29 Though karma yoga and jnana are mentioned as the practice in various scriptures, the less intelligent people do not take the final conclusion of all the scriptures but establish these processes as the main one, Though men are of many types, they can be classed as either inclined to enjoyment or renunciation, In order to attain the next higher level a person performs sadhana. However this sadhana is secondary, and cannot be called the main sadhana or abhidheya. The results of these sadhanas are only one further step in progress. Considering the vastness of the subject, these results are insignificant. Karma, yoga, jnana and their subordinate methods cannot even give any result without some trace of bhakti.7 1f they have bhakti as their final goal, they can yield some secondary results-- liberation cannot be attained by jnana alone. Sambandha jnana which has as its object bhakti gives liberation as its first result. Bhakti easily gives this mukti as an insignificant, incidental fruit Dharma consists of the activities allotted to the four varnas and asramas. It is also called traivargika dharma (artha, kama and dharma). This traivargika dharma is discussed in the Second Part of this book, Mahaprabhu has taught that men with attachment for worldly enjoyment get strength from the practice of these rules to carry on comfortably the maintenance of body and family. Those with too much attachment are advised to follow the rules of vamasrama, and this will qualify them for bhakti, But those people who practice varnasrama without making bhakti the goal go to hell, even though they follow their prescribed duties In the third part of this book sadhana bhakti will be more elaborately described ‘When vaida sadhana bhakti becomes pure, it becomes qualified for practice of prema, The love of the jiva for the Lord is the eternal natural dharma of the jiva This is the real goal of life-- what is to be attained by the jiva. But if this object is, (already) eternally perfected, then how is it something to be attained by the jiva? My dear Sanatana, please now hear about the regulative principles for the execution of devotional service. By this process, one can attain the highest perfection of love of Godhead, which is the most desirable treasure. The spiritualactivities of hearing, chanting, remembering and so forth are the natural characteristics of devotional service. The marginal characteristic is that it awakens pure love for Krsna, Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of living entities. If is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, the living entity naturally awakens ‘C.C. Madhya 22.104-107, Prema is a perfect object. When the jiva is under illusion, the prema appears in marginal form, not in its original (svarupa) form. Sadhana bhakti’s main characteristics are the activities of chanting, hearing and remembering Krsna's name, qualities, forms and pastimes. 8 By performing this sadhana gradually prema appears in marginal form, like a hidden fire. When the jva finally gives up his subtle body and attains a spiritual body, prema appears in its original form, (svarupa). Thus, Krsna prema is a perfect object, which is not born from practice, but rather it appears in the pure heart by hearing and other devotional activities. It will be noticed that sadhana is very necessary. Sadhana bhakti is of two types: vaidhi and raganuga There are two processes of practical devotional service. one is regulative devotional service, and the other is spontaneous devotional service. Those who hhave not attained the platform of spontaneous attachment in devotional service render devotional service under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master according to the regulative principles mentioned in the revealed scriptures. According to the revealed scriptures, this kind of devotional service is called vaidhi bhakti ‘C.C. Madhya 22.109-110 ‘When bound jivas have great attachment for everything except Krsna, they have little room for attachment for Krsna. There is no option for such jivas but to follow the injunctions of scripture. This process is called vaidhi. bhakti Performing activities from the perspective of what is forbidden and prescribed, taking the scriptural authority as absolute, is the first step on the path of good fortune. At this stage the stimulus for performing devotional service is the faith of the devotee in the words of scripture. Accordingly as this faith is at first, tender, then firm and finally deep, results will be reaped. When this faith becomes deep (uttama), it transforms into steadiness, taste, attachment and bhava, by the practice of worship in association of the devotees. The practitioner can then understand that Krsna alone is the object of remembrance, and that He should never be forgotten. He understand that all rules, positive or negative, follow from the principal of always remembering and never forgetting the Lord. At this stage, the devotee rejects fanatical adherence to the injunctions and prohibitions, and, according to his qualification, gives up some of the injunctions, and begins to practice some of the (previous) prohibitions.9 Mahaprablu has given a description of sadhana bhakti in the Caitanya Caritamsta L.One must accept a bona fide spiritual master. 2. Accept initiation from him. 3 Serve him. +. Receive instructions from the spiritual master and make inquiries inorder to learn devotional service. 5.Follow in the footsteps of the previous acaryas and follow the directions given by the spiritual master. 6.One should be prepared to give up everything for Krsna's satisfaction, and one should also accept everything for Krsna's satisfaction. 7. One must live in a place where Krsna is present--a city like Vindavana or Mathura or a Krsna temple. 8. One should acquire a livelihood that is just sufficient to keep body and soul together. 9. One must fast on Ekadasi day. 10. One should worship dhatri trees, banyan trees, cows, brahmanas and devotees of Lord Visnu. 11. One should avoid offenses against devotional service and the holy name. 12, One must give up the company of nondevotees. 13. One should not accept an unlimited number of disciples. 14.One should not partially study many scriptures just to be able to give references and expand explanations. 15. The devotee should treat loss and gain equally. 16 The devotee should not be overwhelmed by lamentation. 17. The devotee should not worship demigods, nor should he disrespect them. Similarly the devotee should not study or criticize other scriptures. 18. The devotee should not hear Lord Visnu or His devotee blasphemed. 19. The devotee should avoid reading or hearing newspapers or mundane books that contain stories of love affairs between men and women or subjects palatable to the senses. 20. Neither by mind nor words should the devotee cause anxiety to any living entity, regardless how insignificant he may be, After one is established in devotional service, the positive actions are 1. hearing, 2. chanting 3. remembering +. worshipping 5. praying 6. serving 7. accepting servitorship 8. becoming a friend and 9. surrendering fully. One should also 10. dance before the Deity 11. sing before the deity, 12. open one's mind to the Deity 13. offer obeisances to the Deity 14. stand up before the deity and the spiritual master just to show them respect 16. follow the Deity or the spiritual master 16. visit different places of pilgrimage or go see the Deity in the temple. 17 circumambulate the temple 18. recite various prayers 19 recite scriptures 20. chant softly 21. chant congregationally 22. smell the incense 23 smell the flower garland 24. smell the scents offered to the Lord 25. eat the remnants of food offered to the Deity 26. attend arati 27 attend festivals 28. see the Deity 29. present what is very dear to oneself to the Deity 30. meditate on the Lord 31 serve the objects used in Krsna’ s pastimes 32. serve tulasi 33.serve vaisnavas 34 serve Mathura 35. serve the Bhagavatam 36.One should perform all endeavors for Krsna 37. One should look forward to His mercy 38. One should partake of various festivals 39 associate with devotees 40, One should surrender to lkrsna in all respects 41. One should observe particular vows like kartika vrata. 42 bathing during magha 43. vaisakha krtya One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Srimad Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura and worship the deity with faith and veneration. These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Krsna Amongst all the sixty four types of devotional service, the nine processes beginning with hearing are the chief, and all others are their assistants, The first ten items act as the entrance door to bhakti. The second ten items are acceptance of favorable actions and rejection of unfavorable actions. Such things as respecting the dhatri tree, asvattha tree, the cow, and brahmana are necessary for social stability, but as well, they are favorable for the first stages of devotionalservice. As sadhana bhakti becomes mature, the last five items become prominent In the practice of bhakti, there is a secret. Spiritual realization, devotion and detachment from everything material-- these three increase equally with progress ‘Where the opposite tendencies become apparent, one should understand and that there is fault at the very root of the practice of bhakti. 10 There will be inevitable fall down except for the mercy of guru and the association of devotees ‘The Lord has said: ‘When one is firmly fixed in devotional service, whether he executes one or many processes of devotional service, the waves of Love of Godhead will awaken. C.C.Madhya 22.134 For practicing single items of bhakti, Pariksit is famous for hearing; Sukadeva is famous for chanting, Prahlada is famous for remembering, Laksmi is famous for serving the lotus feet, Prthu is famous for arcana, Akrura is famous for offering prayers, Hanuman is famous as a servant, Arjuna is famous as friend, and Bali is famous for surrendering his soul. Ambarisa is famous for performing many items. As Long as material desire is present in the heart, a person performing sadhana bhakti should follow the injunctions of varnasrama. But one who gives up material desires and practices sadhana bhakti according to the injunctions is free from the obligations of serving varnasrama rules. 11 Ifa person gives up all material desires sand completely engages in the transcendental Loving service of Krsna, as en joined in revealed scriptures, he is never indebted to demigods, sages or forefathers. .C. Madhya 22.140 ‘When a person attains the stage of desireless practice, he can give up dependence on the rules, and not be tempted by prohibited actions: it is not possible for the pure devotee to commit sinful actions. If by inadvertence he commits a sinful activity, atonement according to the karma khanda is not necessary.12 Some people think that one must cultivate knowledge and detachment for progress in devotion, but this is mistaken. The Lord has said, The path of speculative knowledge and renunciation is not very essential for devotional service. Indeed, good equalities such as nonviolence and mind and sense control automatically accompany a devotee of Lord Krsna C.C. Madhya 22.145 Bhakti is an independent process. Knowledge and detachment are activities which only serve devotion at a distance. 13 Nonviolence, sense control, and other scriptural activities are the natural associates of bhakti. But it is not necessary to cultivate any of these independently of bhaktiMy dear Sanatana, 1 have now in detail described devotional service according to the regulative principles. Now hear from Me about spontaneous devotional service and its characteristics. The original inhabitants of Vmndavana are attached to Krsnas spontaneously in devotional service. Nothing can compare to such spontaneous devotional service, which is called ragatmika bhakti, When a devotee follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Vindavana, his devotional service is called raganuga bhakti. The primary characteristic of spontaneous love is deep attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Absorption in Him is a marginal characteristic Thus devotional service which consists of raga is called ragatmika, spontaneous loving service. Ifa devotee covets such a position, he is considered to be most fortunate. If one follows in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vrndavana out of such transcendental covetousness, he does not care for the injunctions or reasoning of sastra. That is nature of raganuga There are two processes by which one may execute this raganuga bhakti external and internal, When self-realized, the advanced devotee externally remains like neophyte and executes all the sastric injunctions, especially hearing and chanting, However, within his mind, in his original purified self-realized position, he serves Krsna in Vindavana in his particular way. He serves Krsna twenty-four hours, all day and night Actually the inhabitants of Vindavana are very dear to Krsna. If one wants to engage in spontaneous loving service, he must follow the inhabitants of Vindavana and constantly engage in devotional service within his mind. Krsna hhas many types of devotees--some are servants, some are friends, some are parents, and some are conjugal lovers. Those who are situated in one of these attitudes of spontaneous love according to their choice , are considered to be on the path of spontaneous loving service. If one engages in spontaneous Loving service to the Lord, his affection (priti) at the Lotus feet of Krsna gradually increases. In the seed of affection, there is attachment which goes by two names-rati and bhava. The Supreme Personality of Godhead comes under the control of such attachment ‘C.C. Madhya 22.148-165 After showing the difference between vaidhi and raganuga sadhana bhakti, the Lord concluded his discussion of sadhana. In the fourth section will be found a discussion of raganuga Some unknowledgeable people think that sadhana bhakti is not necessary. Some prefer varnasrama and others prefer to relish prema. But from seeing the instructions concerning bhakti, a gradual process is recommended and fruitful First a person should attain steadiness in good conduct by practicing varnasrama Then he must progress to vaidhi bhakti. Finally, with prema, he reaches perfection.14 According to the amount of qualification of the individual, thisform of advancement may slightly change Some people think that if this process is followed, civilized life and maintenance will disintegrate. However itis simply a cheating notion to think that the goal of life is for farmers, clerks, and brahmanas to elevate themselves gradually to higher positions in vama and asrama.15 Such a conception of occupational duties, is in terms of material advancement alone, which cannot produce any progress for the soul. Mahaprabhu has given instructions for surpassing such material conceptions of life and easily attaining pure spiritual life. Practice of varnasrama is for the maintenance of the body. Practice of yoga is for advancement of the mind Sadhana bhakti is for advancement of the soul, Though the devotee may not be expert at farming, fighting, or any material occupation, he is expert in terms of the real life of the human being. A king's minister may not be able to fire the gun expertly, but he can still act as the advisor for the soldiers and make expert arrangements for the war. Those who can see the elevated position of the devotees is actually intelligent, and can obtain the mercy of the Lord. 16 1 When the soul is under the spell of material nature and false ego, identifying his, body as the self, he becomes absorbed in material activities, and by the influence of false ego he thinks that he is the proprietor of everything, The conditioned soul therefore transmigrates into different species of life, higher and lower, because of this association with the modes of material nature. Unless he is relieved of material activities, he has to accept this position because of his faulty work. $.B.3.27.2-3 2 With steady intelligence you should develop unalloyed devotional service by careful worship of the spiritual master, and with the sharpened ax of transcendental knowledge you should cut off the subtle material covering of the soul, Upon realizing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you should then give up that ax of analytic knowledge. 5.B.11.12.24 3 One who desires some material benefit in exchange for devotional service cannot be your pure devotee. Indeed, he is no better than a merchant who wants profit in exchange for service. S.B.7.10.4 4 My dear friends, O sons of the demons, you cannot please the Supreme Personality of Godhead by becoming perfect brahmanas, demigods or great saints or by becoming perfectly good in etiquette or vast learning. None of these qualifications can awaken the pleasure of the Lord. Not by charity, austerity, sacrifice, cleanliness or vows can one satisfy the Lord. The Lord is pleased only if one has unflinching, unalloyed devotion to Him, Without sincere devotional service, everything is simply a show. S.B.7.7.51-52 5 Devotional service unto Lord Krsna is attained by charity, strict vows, austerities and fire sacrifices, by japa, study of Vedic texts, observance of regulative principles and indeed, by the performance of many other auspicious practices. $.B.10.47.24 6 Ifany of the members of the four varnas and four asramas fail to worship or intentionally disrespect the Personality of Godhead, who is the source of their own. creation, they will fall down from their position into a hellish state of life$.B.11.53 7 Ritualistic ceremonies, regulative principles, austerities and the practice of yoga are all meant to control the senses and mind, but even after one is able to control the sense and mind, if he does not come to the point of meditation upon the Supreme Lord, all such activities are simply labor in frustration. $.B.7.15.28 8 Hearing, chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him-these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krsna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge. S.B7.5.23-24 9 Itis firmly declared that the steady adherence of transcendentalists to their respective spiritual positions constitutes real piety and that sin occurs when a transcendentalist neglects his prescribed duty. One who adopts this standard of piety and sin, sincerely desiring to give up all past association with sense gratification, is able to subdue materialistic activities, which are by nature impure $.B.11.20.26 10 Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things~these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating. S.B.11.2.42 110 King, one who has given up all material duties and has taken full shelter of the Lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not indebted to the demigods, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives, friends, mankind or even one's forefathers who have passed away. Since all such classes of living entities are put and parcel of the Supreme Lord, one who has surrendered to the Lord's service has no need to serve such persons separately. $.B.11.5.41 12 One who has thus given up all other engagements and has taken full shelter at the Lotus feet of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is very dear to the Lord. Indeed, if such a surrendered soul accidentally commits some sinful activity, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated within everyone's heart, immediately takes away the reaction to such sin. $.B.11.5.42 13 Therefore, for a devotee engaged in my loving service, with mind fixed on Me, the cultivation of knowledge and renunciation is generally not the means of achieving the highest perfection within this world. $B 11.20.31 14 In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed, then real devotion and devotional service begin. $.B.3.25.25 15 Because of their uncontrolled senses, person too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions, and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed, Their inclinations toward Krsna are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts or by a combination of both.S.B.7.5.30 16 When a person is fully engaged in devotional service, he is favored by Lord, who bestows His causeless mercy. At sucha time, the awakened devotee gives up all material activities and ritualistic performances mentioned in the Vedas. S.B.4.29.46 Those who are interested in reviving Krsna consciousness and increasing their love of Godhead do not like to do anything that is not related to Krsna. They are not interested in mingling with people who are busy maintaining their bodies, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. They are not attached to their homes, although they may be householders. Nor are they attached to wives, children, friends or wealth. At the same time, they are not indifferent to the execution of their duties Such people are interested in collecting only enough money to keep the body and soul together. $.B.5.5.3 Part Seven. prayojana Sri Krsna Caitanya spoke to Sanatana’ Now hear, O Sanatana, about the result of devotional service, which is love of Godhead (prema), life's ultimate goal (prayojana). If one hears this description, he will be enlightened in the transcendental mellows of devotional service (rasa). When affection for Krsna (rati) becomes deeper, one attains love of Godhead in devotional service (prema). Such a position is called sthayi bhava, permanent enjoyment of the mellows of devotional service to Krsna .C. Madhya 23.3-4 The meaning of the Lord's words is this: devotional in its first stage of sadhana is called bhaktt and later when the sadhana yields its results, itis called bhava, and finally it matures as prema, Sadhana bhakti continues up till bhava, which is also called rati or prityankura, the sprout of love.1 The difference between vaidhi and raganuga is that vaidhi proceeds somewhat slower to bhava. Practice of raganuga very quickly leads to the level of bhava.2 Faith, having surpassed steadiness (nistha), takes the form of ruci in the heart of the raganuga bhakta, Thus there is no delay for that to mature into bhava 3 ‘When the devotee achieves bhava, the following qualities become visible If love for Krsna in a seedling state has fructified in one's heart, one is not agitated by material things. Not a moment should be lost. Every moment should be utilized for Krsna or connected with Him. in the material field, people are interested in material enjoyment, mystic power and sense gratification. However, these things do not appeal to the devotee at all. although a devotee's standard isabove all, he still considers himself to be in the Lowest stage of life. A fully surrendered devotee always hopes that Lord Krsna will be kind to him. This hope is very firm in him, Eagerness is chiefly characterized by an ardent desire to associate with the Lord. Due to having great relish for the holy name, one is inclined to chant the hare krsna mahamantra constantly. A devotee has awakened the tendency to chant and describe the transcendental qualities of the Lord. He has attachment for this process. A devotee absorbed in ectatic emotion for Krsna always resides in a place where Krsna's pastimes were performed ‘CC. Madhya 23.20-39 If one reads the Fifth Chapter, one can understand all these teachings of the Lord. The characteristics of prema are extremely difficult to discuss. Thus Mahaprabhu has said These are the symptoms of a person who has developed attraction (bhava) for Krsna. Now let me describe the symptoms of a person who is actually elevated to love of Krsna (prema), O Sanatana, please hear this from Me. Even the most learned man cannot understand the words, activities and symptoms of a person situated in love of Godhead + ‘C.C. Madhya 23.38-39 Prema is of five types: santa, dasya, sakkhya, vatsalya and madhura. Amongst these, madhura prema and madhura rasa are supreme. In the madhura rasa the devotee experiences the maximum extent of Krsna's sweetness, 5 The devotee situated in madhura rasa attains the highest perfection of prema.6 All sixty four qualities of Krsna are present in the madhura rasa of Vrajp, and thus infinite sweetness is experienced by the devotee of Vraja Mahaprabhu has spoken of Radha, the topmost devotee in this way: Srimati Radharani has unlimited transcendental qualities, of which twenty- five qualities are principal. Sri Krsna is controlled by these transcendental qualities of Srimati Radharani. C.C. Madhya 23.86 Those alone who are fortune to be qualified for madhura rasa can taste this rasa No one can understand it by logical thought. Thus the Lord said The exchange between Krsna and different devotees situated in different transcendental mellows is not to be experienced by nondevotees. Advanced devotees can understand and appreciate the different varieties of devotional service reciprocated with the Supreme Personality of Godhead ‘C.C. Madhya 23.99 After teaching Sanatana all of this, the Lord taught about rejection of dry renunciation and acceptance of yukta vairagya Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then told Sanatana Gosvami about properrenunciation according to a particular situation, and the Lord forbade dry renunciation and speculative knowledge in all respects. .C. Madhya 23.105 By reasoning and by interpretation of ambiguous Vedic statements some people conclude that we are spirit, but due to the contact with material energy we have lost consciousness of this fact. How to become freed from the material world? The body, house, and food are all material. How can we become free from these material obstacles? Thinking in this way, they smear ashes on their bodies, wear kaupinas, eat dry food, renounce wife and children, To give the impression that they are renounced they give up the household and wander in the forest or live in the asrama, Not considering what value such actions will do them, they indulge in dry speculation, being indifferent to the fact that real deliverance is caused by a relationship with the Lord. Though they become free from sin and piety and concepts of "me" and "mine," they cannot really understand what benefit they have attained. They pass their time in studying the statements of the Vedanta When they die, a few associates come and break coconuts on their heads and bury them in the ground. What is achieved? They have not attained the Lord. All they get is brahman, Alternatively, if person places the Lord in the center of his life while caring for his body and house, while eating and sleeping, then he gradually increases his devotion to the Lord through his devotional practice, finally, definitely, he achieves prema.7 This type of renunciation is called yukta vairagya. Mahaprabhu forbade Sanatana from practicing dry renunciation, and taught him yukta vairagya, To Raghunatha Das he said Be patient and return home. Don't be a crazy fellow. By and by you will be able to cross the ocean of material existence. You should not make yourself a showbottle devotee and become a false renunciate. For the time being, enjoy the material world ina befitting way and do not become attached to it. Within your heart, you should keep yourself very faithful, but externally you may behave like an ordinary man, Thus Krsna will soon be very pleased and deliver you from the clutches of maya C..C.Madhya 126.237-239 Ifa person can carry on his household duties without attachment and worship the Lord with inner steadiness, gradually the material world will fall away. By devotion, the soul becomes stronger and establishes a relation with the Lord.8 The alternative is to reject the gradual process and become a false renunciate, but this leads to degradation of the soul. To accept necessary objects, means not to accept objects for sense gratification or pleasure, but to accept them only for establishing a relationship of the soul with the Lord. Being merciful, these objects themselves will release the non-material soul, The body, house and objects meant for worship can all be used in yukta vairagya. All that is necessary is the internal steadiness of the devotee to achieve success. An extemal show of steadiness is only for others to see. If there is internal devotion and steadiness, very quickly the bondage of the material world will disappear. Pure knowledge and pure detachment will certainly increase to the extent that devotion increasesTaking shelter of the holy name of Krsna is the ultimate practice for the real devotee. Sri Caitanya spoke to Sanatana: Among the ways of executing devotional service, the nine prescribed methods are the best, for these processes have great potency to deliver Krsna and ecstatic love for Him. Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding, the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead C.C.Madhya Antya 4.7 Give up all your nonsensical desires, for they are unfavorable for getting shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna. Engage yourself in chanting and hearing. Then you will soon achieve the shelter of Krsna without a doubt. A person born ina Low family is not unfit for discharging devotional service to Lord Krsna, nor is one fit for devotional service simply because he is born in an aristocratic family of brahmanas.10 Anyone who takes to devotional service is exalted, whereas a nondevotee is always condemned and abominable. Therefore in the discharge of devotional service to the Lord, there is no consideration of the status of one's family. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna is always favorable to the humble and meek, but aristocrats, leaned scholars and the wealthy are always proud of their positions C.C.Madhya Antya 4.65-68 This means that if a person has faith in the Lord, he will take chanting the Lord's name in association of devotees. He will not distract his mind with attempts at karma or jnana. He will constantly chant the sixteen names of Krsna while counting. He will maintain body, house and society to the extent that they can be favorable for cultivating the Name, and will offer them all in the service of Krsna He will not labor in any other direction , and even here he will not overendeavor He will not indulge in pleasurable objects or delicious food. He will maintain his body on sattvika food so that the senses, mind and internal mental faculties will e not be disturbed or destroyed.11 Not being over ambitious in his plans he will reside ina solitary place. Staying in association with those who can nurture devotion, he carefully progresses. The purpose of all these activities is to attain fixed chanting of the name, with no anxieties 12 This person will reject completely association with women and persons who associate with women, and he will be careful not to associate with materialists. 13 He will give up useless discussion, and consider himself as the most fallen. Being tolerant, he will endure everything and give benefit to the world. He is not proud of his caste, wealth, followers, beauty, strength, knowledge or position, and he respects all others in a proper way. 14 Living in this way, he will constantly chant the Lord's name with devotion. in this way, by Krsna's mercy he will attain pure prema. Dharma, artha, kama and moksa will serve this devotee. 15 If there is some desire in the heart, then the devotee should continue his chanting humbly recognizing it yet detesting it. In a short time the Lord will come into the heart, purify it of all desire, and accept the devotee's love. 16In Lord Caitanya's teachings there are only two concepts: taste for the name and mercy to the jivas. A person is a devotee to the extent that these two qualities are present. 17 It is not necessary to labor for any other qualities. The qualities of the devotee spontaneously appear, 18and the devotee naturally relishes acting for the benefit of all.19 When a jiva becomes the servant of Krsna, sorrow no longer exists. 20 The devotee is careful to associate with the guru and others of the same category at the appropriate time.21 The life of an advanced devotee is very pure His taste is always pure. 22 Mahaprabhu taught Raghunatha this briefly Smiling, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Raghunatha dasa, "I have already appointed Svarupa Damodara Gosvami as your instructor. You may learn from hum what your duty is and how to discharge it. 1do not know as much as he Nevertheless, if you want to take instructions from Me, with faith and love you may ascertain your duties from the following words. Do not talk like people in general or hear what they say. You should not eat very palatable food, nor should you dress very nicely. Do not expect honor, but offer all respect to others. Always chant the holy name of Lord Krsna, and within your mind render service to Radha and Krsna in Vndavana. 1 have briefly given you My instructions. Now you will get all details about them from Svarupa Damodara C.C.Antya 6.233.238, In these instructions the Lord hinted ina covered way the mental worship of Krsna at eight times of the day. Elsewhere instructions to Svarupa Damodara will be given, but the devotes should be careful to be qualified for such teachings The mentality during vaidhi bhakti of exclusive cultivation of devotion with the aim of achieving bhava bhakti, and the mentality during bhava bhakti of intense cultivation with the aim of achieving prema, is called nirbandhini mati or undivided attention. If such concentration exits, then very quickly the devotee attains perfection. In other words the devotee must make an effort corresponding to the goal he wishes to achieve. 23 From the very beginning of practice, the devotee must adopt this concentrated attention, and should beware of giving it up due to inattention. 1 One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. this process is most purifying. As devotees thus develop their Loving friendship, they feel mutual happiness and satisfaction. And by thus encouraging one another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering, The devotees of the Lord constantly discuss the glories of the Personality of Godhead among themselves. Thus they constantly remember the Lord and remind one another of His qualities and pastimes. In this way, by their devotion to the principles of bhakti yoga, the devotees please the Personality of Godhead, who takes away from. them everything inauspicious. Being purified of all impediments, the devotees awaken to pure love of God, and thus, even within this world, their spiritualized bodies exhibit symptoms of transcendental ecstasy, such as standing of the bodily hairs on end. S.B.11.3.30-31 2 One who constantly hears and chants the holy name of the Lord and hears and chants about His activities can very easily attain the platform of pure devotionalservice, which can cleanse the dirt from one's heart. One cannot achieve such purification merely by observing vows and performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. S.B.6.3.32 3 The inhabitants of Vidavana, including the gopis, cows, unmoving creatures such as the twin arjuna trees, animals, living entities with stunted consciousness such as bushes and thickets, and snakes such as Kaliya, all achieved the perfection of life by unalloyed love for Me and thus very easily achieved Me. Even though one engages with great endeavor in the mystic yoga system, philosophical speculation, charity, vows, penances, ritualistic sacrifices, teaching of Vedic mantras to others, personal study of the Vedas, or the renounced order of life, still one cannot achieve Me. $.B.11.12.8-9 4 Having achieved Love of Godhead, the devotees sometimes cry out Loud, absorbed in thought of the infallible Lord. Sometimes they laugh, feel great pleasure, speak out Loud to the Lord, dance or sing, Such devotees, having transcended material conditioned life, sometimes imitate the unborn Supreme by acting out His pastimes. And sometimes, achieving His personal audience, they remain peaceful and silent. $.B.11.3.32 5.0 King, the Supreme Lord is inexhaustible and immeasurable, and He is untouched by the material modes because He is their controller. His personal appearance in this world is meant for bestowing the highest benefit on humanity Persons who constantly direct their lust, anger, fear, protective affection, feeling of impersonal oneness or friendship toward Lord Hari are sure to become absorbed in thought of Him. $.B.10.29.14-15 6 As chaste women bring their gentle husbands under control by service, the pure devotees, who are equal to everyone and completely attached to Me in the core of the heart, bring Me under their full control. S.B9.4.66 7 Having awakened faith in the narrations of My glories, being disgusted with all material activities, knowing that all sense gratification leads to misery, but still being unable to renounce all sense enjoyment, My devotee should remain happy and worship Me with great faith and conviction. Even though he is sometimes engages in sense enjoyment, My devotee knows that all sense gratification leads to a miserable result, and he sincerely repents such activities. When an intelligent person engages constantly in worshipping Me through loving devotional service as described by Me, his heart becomes firmly situated in Me. Thus all material desires within the heart are destroyed, The knot in the heart is pierced, all misgivings are cut to pieces and the chain of fruitive actions is terminated when I am seen as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. $.B.11.10.27.30 8 All occupational engagements are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for material gain, Furthermore, according to sages, one who is engaged in the ultimate occupational service should never use material gain to cultivate sense gratification. Life's desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one's work. S.B.1.2.9-10 90 King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the preat authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all materialenjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.$.B.2.1.11 10 To hell with our threefold birth, our vow of celibacy and our extensive learning! To hell with our aristocratic background and our expertise in the rituals of sacrifice! These are all condemned because we were inimical to the transcendental Personality of Godhead. $.B.10.23.40 11 A leamed sage should take his satisfaction in the simple maintenance of his existence and should not seek satisfaction through gratifying the material senses In other words, one should care for the material body in such a way that one's higher knowledge is not destroyed and so that one’s speech and mind are not deviated from self-realization. $.B.11.7.39 Food what is wholesome, pure and obtained without difficulty is in the mode of goodness, food that gives immediate pleasure to the sense is in the mode of passion, and food that is unclean and causes distress is in the mode of ignorance $.B.11.25.28 Residence in the forest is in the mode of goodness, residence in a town is in the mode of passion, residence in a gambling house displays the quality of ignorance, and residence in a place where 1 reside is transcendental. S.B.11.25.25 12 An intelligent person does not take interest in a place, even in the topmost planetary system, if the pure Ganges of topics concerning the Supreme Lord's activities does not flow there, if there are not devotees engaged in service on the banks of such a river of piety, or if there are no festivals of sankirtana yajna to satisfy the Lord. $.B.5.19.24 13 Among all the attractions of material enjoyment, the attraction of riches bewilders one's intelligence more than having beautiful bodily features, taking, birth in an aristocratic family, and being learned. When one is uneducated but falsely puffed up by wealth, the result is that one engages his wealth in enjoying, wine, women and gambling. Unable to control their senses, rascals who are falsely proud of their riches or their birth in aristocratic families are so cruel that to maintain their perishable bodies, which they think will never grow old or die, they kill poor animals without mercy. [Sometimes they kill animals merely to enjoy an excursion $.B.10.10.8-9 14 Sistastaka 3 15 Krsna Karnamrta 16 Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted $.B.1.2.17 17 Sudama chose unshakable devotion for Krsna, the Supreme Soul of all existence; friendship with His devotees, and transcendental compassion for all living beings. $.B.10.41.51 18 All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. $.B.5.18.12 19 It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit ofothers with his life, wealth, intelligence and words. S.B 10.22.35 20 My dear Lord Krsna, until people become Your devotees, their material attachments and desires remain thieves, their homes remain prisons, and their affectionate feelings for their family members remain foot-shackles. 5.B.10.14.36 How can persons completely under the shelter of Lord Krsna in devotional service be put into miseries pertaining to the body, the mind , nature, and other men and living creatures? S.B.3.22.37 21 One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod. S.B.5.5.18 22...One should mold his life in such a way that he cannot live in peace without drinking the nectar of the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. One can be thus elevated by being dispusted with the taste for sense enjoyment. $.B.4.22.23 23 sad dharmasyavabodhaya yesam nisbandhini matih acirad eve sarvarthah sidhyaty esam abhipsitah Those who are anxious to awaken their spiritual consciousness, who have unflinching intelligence and who are not deviated, certainly attain the desired goal. Narada Purana, quoted in C.C. Madhya 24.170 Chapter Two Secondary Rules Part One Introduction The first section explained about bhakti, which is the abhidheya or the only means to attain prema. 1t was also shown that karma and jnana are not direct means, though they have a role to play. Karma and jana may be designated as secondary means, whereas hearing and chanting are primary means. Though secondary, they may be called the means for those jivas deeply bound by maya.1 Jnana and karma are secondary means and bhakti is the principal means, Jnana and karma help in the process of bhakti, and bhakti produces prema. The relationship will be discussed later. In as much as karma and jnana can make the body, mind and environment favorable for bhakti, they can be accepted as means, otherwise they are condemned in the scriptures as materialistic endeavors, After describing the secondary rules, the conclusion will be presented The secondary rules are of three types: rules regarding self, rules regarding society, rules regarding afterlife. Rules regarding the self are of two types: those for body and those for mind. Those rules to keep a man’s body properly nourished so that he can remain healthy are the bodily rules.2 Such things as repulated drinking, eating, sleeping, exercise, and for sickness, prescriptions for cure, are bodily rulesIfa person does not follow these rules he cannot pass through life smoothly. Ifa person does not follow the mental rules, his power of realization, concentration, imagination, contemplation and judgment will be weak and will not properly function. There will be no advancement in arts and sciences, and moreover one will not be able to take the mind from material thoughts and direct it to thoughts of God. Asa result, the mind will be dominated by sinful thoughts and atheistic attitude, finally man will become no better than beast. Therefore these bodily and mental rules are very necessary for success in human life. Men live together in society. There are certain social rules prescribed for elevation of the populace and avoidance of criminal mentality. An example of a rule for social stability is the prescription of marriage. Without rules for marriage society could not progress to the present state 3 Men used to wander around like animals. In the beginning there were no rules for marriage, but as this created great social problems, marriage customs were introduced. Giving up his freedom, a man takes a woman with consent from others and the witness of God, and lays the foundation for family life. The parents are obligated to protect and teach the children, and provide a means from them to make a living For the benefit of family life, such concepts as mutual brotherhood, helping others in difficulty, earning a livelihood by honest means, speaking the truth, and avoiding lying are established. The tendency towards social stability is a dominant characteristic of the human species. It is visible in all human races. As a society or civilization advances, one will find a greater degree of rules for social stabil There is consensus that amongst all cilvizations, the Aryans were the most progressive. There can be no doubt that among the Aryans, the people of Bharata were the most advanced in knowledge, intelligence and social organization. One should not lose respect for the Aryan civilization just because with age, it has become weak and dependent on other cultures. Because some ignorant persons dispute the advanced state of the Aryan civilization, that does not mean it loses its importance. If one reads the dharma sastra, he can understand how much the Aryan civilization of Bharata achieved in implementation of social rules. In fact all serious, thoughtful men must accept that this civilization, through the guidance of sages, achieved the highest state of social regulation in the world They divided the social rules into two parts after thorough deliberation: varna and asrama. Men in such a society have two aspects: basic nature and stage of life. Their nature is fixed by following the rules for individual development (mental and bodily), and their stage of life is fixed according to the social rules. As man becomes more social, observance of rules for the self do not decrease, but rather increases in significance. From an individual's nature arises the rules of varnas, and from the progressive stages of life comes the asramas When man's bodily and mental tendencies gradually develop by cultivation, they attain a fixed stage, where one quality dominates all others. That quality is a man's nature. There are four natures: brahamana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra. These four varnas have arisen on the basis of the positive qualities of men. With the display of negative qualities, the outcast from the social system arises. For a person is such a situation there is no alternative but to give up those negative qualities. +From birth until the appearance of a predominate nature in the individual, environment and discipline are the factors which nourish the seed. The seed then sprouts, grows and finally manifests as ones nature. The authors of scripture have explained of course that the actions of previous lives is the ultimate cause of the nature. The nature of the family into which a child is born determines the child's qualities through hereditary factors, Later by training and environment that nature will improve or degrade. A man of sudra nature will produce offspring of sudra nature and a man of brahminical nature will produce bralminical offspring, That is the general rule, but not the absolute rule. The writers of scripture made arrangements for samskaras or purificatory rites with the intention of fixing the varna of a person after determining his nature However, with time, these rites have become corrupted. When the rites which determine the varna became Lost, the country became degraded.5 However, there can be no doubt that the rules of varna are the real rules for society. The stages of life are four: brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. The brahmacari is the person who before marriage gets education and is free to wander. The grhastha is the person he gets married and takes up family responsibilities. The person who upon aging gives up work and lives alone is a vanaprastha. One who gives up all relations with his family and is free to wander isa sannyasi, The system set up after working out the relation of the varnas and asramas is called varnasrama dharma, This dharma is the social code for the people of Bharata. Ifa country lacks this system of dharma, it cannot be called an advanced society. In the third part of this chapter these things will be discussed in detail. 1 .. Because I desire that human beings may achieve perfection, 1 have presented three paths of advancement--the path of knowledge, the path of work and the path of devotion. Besides these three there is absolutely no other means of elevation. $.B.11.20.6 2 There is no possibility of one's becoming a yogi O Arjuna, if one eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough. He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system, When the yogi, by practice of yoga, disciplines his mental activities and becomes situated in transcendence--devoid of all material desires--he is said to be well established in yoga. B.G.6.16-18, 3nna grham grham ity abur grhinir grham ucyate taya hi sahitah sarvan purusarthan samasnute The house is not a household without a wife. The husband along with the wife can attain all his goals. smrti?? 4 Distiness, dishonesty, thievery, faithlessness, useless quarrel, lust, anger and hankering constitute the nature of those in the Lowest position outside the varnasrama system. $.B.11.17.20 5 If one shows the symptoms of being a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra, as described above, even if he has appeared ina different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification. 5.B.7.11.35Part Two Punya karma Meritorious Action Man's future life is determined according to his activities. The person who performs punya karma or pious activities in society attains a heavenly abode after death, and the person who performs sinful activities suffers in hell Activities which lead to heavenly enjoyment are called punya (piety) and activities which lead to hellish suffering are called papa (sin). The rules for accruing punya and the rules for eradicating papa together make up the rules for determining after-life Inall the punyas and varnasrama activities there is the factor of faith of the practitioner, which may be tamasika, rajasika or sattvika. That faith may be inclined either toward enjoyment of the world or towards renunciation of the world. Those on the lowest stage are inclined to worldly enjoyment. Those slightly more advanced are inclined both ways. Those most advanced dedicate themselves to renunciation of the world.1 Though there are provisions for worshipping numerous devatas, the sattvika person worships only Bhagavan, As the vaisnava has no motive for sense gratification, he accepts only those actions which lead to the spiritual goal. 2 In the Gita, Krsna has said that the wise man should accept only those actions favorable to devotion and reject those which are unfavorable to devotion 3 In attempting to give a brief description and analysis of punya and papa is extremely difficult to classify them methodically. Some sages have classified papa and punya according to bodily, mental, social and spiritual emphasis. Others have classified them according to bodily, verbal and mental involvement. Others have classified them as bodily, sensual and mental, However all these classifications are less than perfect. Here they will simply be divided into two groups: constitutional punyas (pertaining to the real nature of the jiva) and conditioned punyas (relating toa relative bodily state) Righteousness, truth, purity, friendship, honesty and affection are punyas of the first category, as they are found in the va's real nature, they are the eternal omaments of the jiva. In conditioned state of the jiva, as they become more gross in nature, these natural qualities of the soul are called punya. The rest of the punyas are called conditioned, because they arise only because of the conditioned state of the jiva. In the liberated state these punyas are not necessary to perform. Sin is not a constitutional factor of the jiva, but rather takes shelter of the jiva in the conditioned state. Some actions or states are contradictory to the natural, qualities (punyas) of the jiva: hatred, lying, cruelty, lust, envy, injustice, All other sins are those contrary to the relative punyas. As the discussion of papa and punya will be very brief, the constitutional and conditioned divisions have not been indicated. The papa and punyas have simply been enumerated with a litle discussion. But having been given the puidelines above, the reader can easily make the proper distinctions.There are ten kinds of punyas: assistance to others service to elders charity serving guests cultivation of cleanliness celebration of festivals performance of vows protection of animals increase of population proper conduct Assistance to others is of two kinds: relieving others of distress and helping others make progress, should help others as much as possible without distinguishing, whether they are relatives or not. The same distress that befalls ourselves also comes to others. When a person is in difficulty, he thinks that others should give him relief, Thus one should uy to relieve distress as if it were ones own. A person must attempt to relieve distress by putting aside ones own self interest, which may prevent one from acting. One should try to remove other peoples’ bodily, mental, social and spiritual difficulties. Examples of bodily distress are sickness and hunger. Examples of mental distress are anxiety, envy, lamentation, and fear Examples of social distress are inability to support the family, inability to give education to ones children, inability to get them married, and lack of resources for cremation. Examples of spiritual distress are lack of faith, atheism, and desire for sinful acts. Just as one must relieve a person of distress, one should also try to elevate him. One should help people progress physically, mentally socially and spiritually by offering monetary, physical, and verbal assistance, and by engaging that person's relatives as well There are three types of service to elders: protection of parents, protection of teachers, and protection of other elders. One must follow the instructions of parents and serve them as much as is possible. A person should serve those who have protected him as a helpless child, he should also service those who have given knowledge, especially those who have given spiritual knowledge and mantra.4 Those are considered superior who are bigger in body, greater in age or more experienced in knowledge. One must respect and serve them all. One cannot follow incorrect orders of a superior but one should not show hostility towards him, using disrespectful or harsh words. One should put a stop to their improper behavior or instructions by using sweet words, humility, and gentle reasoning at the proper time Charity (dana) refers to giving money or materials to a suitable person, Giving to an undeserving person is a worthless expense, and is considered a sin. There are twelve varieties of charity: making water bodies or wells, planting trees to give shade and air, supplying lights, dispensing medicines, giving education, giving food, building roads, building ghatas, building houses, giving materials, giving the first portion of a meal, giving a daughter in marriage.5One should give water to those who are thirsty. Ifa thirsty person comes to ones house, one is obliged to give him drinking water. Digging wells and ponds for drinking water, after selecting a suitable place, is also an act of punya.6 Wherever water is necessary, for instance at tirthas where there is no river or water body, wells should be dug. One should plant huge trees such as asvattha on the sides of the road or river or at places of relaxation, One should also plant tulasi and other holy trees in ones own house and at pure places. These trees assist in bodily and spiritual health. Lights should be installed at ghatas, on roads and narrow paths to assist night travelers when there is no moonlight. By giving light in charity a person earns heaps of punya. Raising lights during Kartika month is for beauty but does not aid the traveler, as they are too high to light the path Jn giving medical relief, a person can go to the house and distribute medicine, or can have the sick persons come to a designated shop and receive free medicine. A person should perform this punya with sincerity. Students may be given education at ones expense. Educating children isa very important service. Food distribution may be done at ones home or at designated place for the public. Roads should be constructed to places difficult to approach or to places which are inaccessible, Ghatas should be constructed on river banks or the banks of other water bodies for use by the general public. If a person also constructs resting place at the ghata, or plants gardens, roof coverings or temples, he gains addition merit Building a house for a person who has no money and nowhere to live is a punya karma, Giving materials should be done to qualified or deserving persons. Before taking ones own food in the house one should offer the first portion to another person. One should give ones daughter along with ornaments to a suitable person of the same varna A person should show hospitality towards his guests and society as a whole. The householder should take care to serve guests when they arrive at his house. In the scriptures it is directed that after preparing food the householder should go to his door and call out three times for persons who have not eaten. If anyone appears, he should feed tha person first, and later eat along with his family. There is a rule that one should call out about an hour after noon, but in modern times it is difficult to remain without food till then. Therefore whenever the food is ready, the householder should call out for hungry persons. This does not refer to feeding professional beggars. Social hospitality is performed by acts beneficial to society in general Purity refers to cleaning the body, roads, ghatas, shops, cowsheds, temples, ones, house, forests, and going on pilgrimage. Personal cleanliness is both internal and external. Internal cleanliness, purity of mind, is accomplished by sinless actions and punyas, One should also eat and drink in regulated amount food which is sinless and easy to digest. By eating or drinking food touched by alcoholics or other sinful people the mind becomes impure. Amongst all the methods for creating purity of mind, the chief is remembrance of Visnu. For purifying the sinful mind there is prescription of prayascitta or atonement. By such atonements,however, only the sinful reaction leaves the person. The root is sinful desire. If a person performs atonement with genuine remorse, the sinful desire will be removed, but the seed of all sin--hostility to the Lord--can be removed only by remembrance of the Lord.7 Other books should be consulted for the many aspects of atonement. The mind is also purified by bathing in sacred rivers such as the Ganga and by seeing the deity. External cleanliness refers to maintaining purity of ones body, clothing, and house. This external cleanliness is maintained by bathing in fresh water, wearing clean cloth and eating sattvika food. If the body touches contaminated objects, one should wash that part of the body. A person should not only clean his own house, ghata, road, cowshed temple and yard, but the public roads, ghatas, shops, and temples in the town. If the town is large, the citizens should together raise funds and maintain the cleanliness. These acts generate punya. A person should keep his private gardens clean, and contribute the cleanliness of public forests by the above mentioned method. By going on pilgrimage men gain enormous purity. Though association with saintly people is the final goal of pilgrimage, by the act of pilgrimage sinful desire is preatly reduced, and people feel purified Festivals are of three types: those centered on deity worship, those centered on family affairs and those for public rejoicing. Deity festivals are often observed, and without doubt they generate punya, as they include a great gathering of people, feasting, musical performances, shows, food distribution of the need giving gifts to the learned. If a person is capable of holding such festivals but avoids to do so, he is an offender. Especially when these festivals are permeated with devotion to the Lord, they must not be avoided. There are many family occasions for festivals, such birthdays, feeding grains, marriage, and sraddha rites with sacrifices. A person is obliged to celebrate these functions to the best of his, ability. A person should also sponsor fairs where the populace can gather for enjoyment, There are also many social festivals such harvest festivals, pisthakotsava, sitalotsava, bhratrpuja and Vratas or vows are of three types: bodily, social and spiritual. Early moming bath, parikrama, paying obeisances, which relate to exercising the body, are bodily vows. When one element of the body becomes disturbed, a person falls ill. To prevent this there are many vows such as fasting on the new and full moon day or on Mondays. By fasting and refraining from normal activities on the prescribed days and controlling the senses, a person is made to concentrate on the Lord ‘When it is necessary to fast in this way, a person gains punya by following the prescribed procedures. The samskara rites may be considered social vows. According to the varna, these rites are performed with modification. Other rites are prescribed for all men. Marriage rites, in which one man marries a girl of the same varna, are prescribed for all varnas. The vow of taking only one wife is essential, for any other marriage is simply due to lust. This tendency is exhibited in persons of low nature. Inexceptional cases, where there are no offspring, a second wife is allowed. The monthly vows mentioned in Mahabharata and other similar vows such as the twenty four ekadasi fasts and fasting on the six appearance days (jryanti) such Janmastami are spiritual vows. The sole aim of these vratas is spiritual advancement. These will be discussed along with the topic of bhakti. Hari bhakti Vilasa describes these vratas in detail A person should strive for the upliftment of animals. Without the help of animals, human life cannot go on properly. Care should be taken to improve the form, strength and nature of animals. By selective breeding this can be accomplished. This particularly applies to the cow. With their help agriculture and transport develop. Therefore strong and well formed bull must be selected for mating; for this reasons, during the sraddha ceremony young bulls are let loose. By freely roaming, they become strong and big, and are able to produce good offspring, Being of such service to the family, cows should be protected and nourished with proper food and housing. Cow protection and rearing is well know in India as very pious activity. As far as increasing the population goes, this is a pious activity when the offspring, arise from legal marriage, when the offspring are raised and protected responsibly , when the offspring are led into stable married life, and when they are given spiritual education. After marrying a suitable person at a suitable age, a person should affectionately raise a family, following the rules for maintaining proper health and mind.8 By providence, children are born, the parents should raise them with care, giving taining and education, When the children are older, they are taught a means of livelihood, and when they are of suitable age, they are married and take up family life. According to age, the children should be taught rules for bodily maintenance and cleanliness, morality and spiritual truth. The most important teaching is detachment from material life. 9 The following are parts of righteous conduct: forgiveness, gratitude, truthfulness, honesty, not stealing, not accepting from others, mercy, detachment, respect for the scriptures, travel to holy places, proper judgment, courtesy, worship of the Lord and being steadily situated in work according to ability. Giving up the desire to punish a person for committing an offense is called forgiveness or tolerance. It is not wrong to punish the offenders but forgiveness is an even higher principle. Prahlada and Haridasa Thakura forgave their enemies and are worshipped as great examples by all. To recognize the help that another person has given is called gratitude. The Aryan civilization has such gratitude that the children would serve the parents as Long as, they lived, and when they died, they would undergo periods of austere restriction (asauca), giving up sleeping and eating, and would observe the sraddha ceremonies by giving food to others. To express their gratitude to their parents they would yearly offer sraddha and tarpana, To show gratitude to all people is also a punya karmaTelling what one believes to be true is called truthfulness. Truthful people are respected by the whole world. Having a direct, sincere nature is called honesty The more honestly one lives his life, the more virtuous he is, Taking illegally others! belongings is called theft. A person has no right to objects which he has not eamed through labor or as gift. Those who are lame or blind have a right to beg, but others should receive goods only through honest work. Begging without right to do so is called parigraha. It should be avoided. One should show mercy toall living beings. Real mercy is shown to those who deserve, The aspect of mercy which is displayed in raga bhakti will be dealt with elsewhere. The idea that compassion should be shown to humans but not to animals is wrong. One should ty to relieve the suffering of others. Attachment to material objects is reduced by control of mind (sama), control of senses (dama), tolerance and abstinence. The practice of resisting the temptation of evil desires is called tolerance. Giving up the thirst for material objects in general is called abstinence. Detachment is a punya, for with detachment one is free from sin, Detachment must be cultivated gradually in the beginning stages, but on the path of raga, detachment is attained very easily. This will be discussed elsewhere. Practice of detachment is an act of punya. By repeatedly enduring the hardships of caturmasya, fasting and staying awake on the new and full moons, one becomes accustomed to renunciation. By first gradually giving up the desire for enjoyment of sleeping and eating, one can eventually give up desire for all material enjoyments. When one becomes perfect at accepting only what is necessary for maintaining life, one has attained detachment. Attaining detachment, a person is qualified for sannyasa. All people should respect the scriptures. Scripture refers to those works which distinguish right from wrong, spirit from matter, truth from illusion. Those who were properly qualified revealed genuine scriptures. Unqualified persons who have compiled works attempting to delineate the goal of life and rules to follow, have given the world false scriptures which misguide the world. Such atheistic works, which have arisen from use of faulty Logic, should not be respected. As one blind man leads another blind into the ditch, so such authors of faulty works lead themselves and their followers on the wrong path. Genuine scripture means the Vedas and those works which agree with the Vedic conclusions. To study those works and teach those works is a punya By traveling to places of pilgrimage a person gains knowledge and purifies himself of sin. A person should his power of discrimination properly. The person who do not consider question such as "What is the world, who am 1, who created he world, what is my duty in life, and what do 1 achieve? is not to be considered a human being. The difference between man and animal is that man can consider these questions whereas the animal cannot. The result of this inquiry is self realization. Courtesy is another punya. One should follow the conduct of the ancient sages and follow their instructions on the matter.10 In different ages sometimes the conduct changes. for instance the animal sacrifices performed in Satya, Treta andDvapara yugas are forbidden in Kali yuga. After examining with intelligence all the previous rules of conduct the proper mode of conduct should be framed Proper respect should be given, considering the person's status. This is called maryada. Not giving proper respect is considered a great faulty. One should give respect to all human beings, but should give more respect to a man with position Most respect should be given to the devotee. The following is the order. respect to humans, respect to those who are civilized, respect to position (king), respect to the educated (pandita), respect to a person with good qualities (especially the brahmana, the sannyasi, and the vaisnava), respect according to varna (brahmana), respect according to asrama (sannyasa) and respect to devotion (devotee), Worship of the Lord is considered a punya. Among all rules, worship of the Lord is the most important. However, the form of the Lord which is worshipped will differ according to the level of consciousness of the individual Performance of good acts is punya, and performance of unauthorized acts is sin There are three types of actions: karma, akarma and vikarma, Those acts which are beneficial are called karma, failure to do those acts which should be done is called akarma, Forbidden action is called vikarma. Punya karmas are o three types: daily (such as worship of the Lord), periodic ( such as tarpanas to pitrs) and impelled by personal desire. Those impelled by personal desire should be avoided, but the other two should be performed 1 According to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one’s faith can be of three kinds~in goodness, in passion or in ignorance. According to one's existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith, The living being is said to be of a particular faith according to the modes he has acquire. Men in the mode of goodness worship the demigods, those in the mode of passion worship the demons, and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits. B.G.17.2-4 One who is situated in his prescribed duty, free from sinful activities and cleansed of material contamination, in this very life obtains transcendental knowledge or, by fortune, devotional service tome. $.B.11.20.11 2 Always remembering Me, one should perform all his duties for Me without becoming impetuous. With mind and intelligence offered to Me, one should fix his mind in attraction to My devotional service. BS.11.29.9 3 In intricacies of action are very hard to understand, Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is and what inaction is. One who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities. B.G.4.17- 18 4 One must conquer the modes of passion and ignorance by developing the mode of goodness, and then one must become detached from the mode of goodness by promoting oneself to the platform of suddha sattva. All this can be automatically done if one engages in the service of the spiritual master with faith and devotion. In this way one can conquer the influence of the modes of nature. The spiritual master should be considered to be directly the Supreme Lord because he givestranscendental knowledge for enlightenment. Consequently, for one who maintains the material conception that the spiritual master is an ordinary human. being, everything is frustrated. His enlightenment and his Vedic studies and knowledge are like the bathing of an elephant. $.B.7.15.25-26 5 Charity, prescribed duties, observance of major and minor regulative principles, hearing from scripture, pious works and purifying vows all have as their final aim the subduing of the mind. Indeed, concentration of the mind on the Supreme is the highest yoga. $.B.11.23.46 6 One who has executed sacrificial performances and pious works (beneficial for others) for my satisfaction, and who thus worships me with fixed attention, obtains unflinching devotional service unto Me. By the excellent quality of his service such a worshiper obtains realized knowledge of Me. S.B.11.11.47 7 Authorities who are learned scholars and sages have carefully ascertained that one should atone for the heaviest sins by undergoing a heavy process of atonement and one should atone for lighter sins by undergoing lighter atonement. Although one may neutralize the reactions of sinful life through austerity, charity, vows and other such methods, these pious activities cannot uproot the material desires in one's heart, However, if one serves the Lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, he is immediately freed from all such contaminations. $.B.6.2.16-17, 8 One who desires to establish family life should marry a wife of his own caste, who is beyond reproach and younger in age....5.B.11.17.39 9 A householder should comfortably maintain his dependents either with money that comes of its own accord or with that gathered by honest execution of one's duties. According to one's means, one should perform sacrifices and other religious ceremonies. A householder taking care of many dependent family members should not become materially attached to them, nor should he become mentally unbalanced, considering himself to be the lord. An intelligent householder should see that all possible future happiness, just like that which he has already experienced, is temporary. The association of children, wife, relatives and friends is just like the brief meeting of travelers, With each change of body one is separated from all such associates, just as one Loses the objects one possesses ina dream when the dream is over. Deeply considering the actual situation, a liberated soul should live at home just like a guest, without any sense of proprietorship or false ego. In this way he will not be bound or entangled by domestic affairs. A householder devotee who Me by execution of his family duties may remain at home, go to a holy place, or, if he has a responsible son, take sannyasa. $.B.11.17.51-55 10 One who follows the principles and instructions enjoined by the great sages of the past can utilize these instructions for practical purposes. Such a person can very easily enjoy life and pleasures. A foolish person who manufactures his own ways and means through mental speculation and does not recognize the authority of the sages who lay down unimpeachable directions is simply unsuccessful again. and again in his attempts. $.B.4.18.4-5 Part Three Qualification For Work And VarnasIdentifying ones qualification is a very important item of conduct. This qualification is of two types: qualification for a certain action and the extent of qualification for action. All people are not qualified for all types of punya activities. Though a person may be able to perform a certain activity, he may not be qualified to execute it in such a way to produce the desired auspicious result Ifa person performs an action without first seeing his suitability to do it, one cannot say if the act will bring the intended result. For that reason it is necessary to consider ones qualification. As the performer cannot judge his own qualification, he must inquire from an authority or guru on this matter. And in undertaking a particular rite, a priest must decide on the suitable process. Thus people must accept a qualified guru and a qualified priest. The modern method of accepting guru and priest is not the process envisaged by the writers of scripture Accepting guru and priest as a matter of formality is simply useless. One must choose a qualified person, If such a person does not exist in the Locality one must search elsewhere, Giving an example will make this clearer. Digging ponds is a punya karma. If personally digging, one is qualified if he has enough strength, tools, a piece of land and assistance. If expenses are to be incurred, money is also necessary. A person is qualified for the act to the extent that he has strength, tools, land, assistance and money. Without these items in sufficient quantity, there will be no result, except loss of energy, time or money For marriage the qualification is a healthy body, ability to support a family, and a mentality suitable for living with a wife. In desiring to perform any act, a person should see his qualification. Qualification may be intrinsic or circumstantial. Man has three divisions of life time of learning (educational period of life), time of work and time of recreation. During education, the person studies books, associates with others, sees others working, and receives instruction. What tendency emerges prominently at this time is the intrinsic nature of the person. Though a person usually gets association , instruction and information under influence of the family in which he is born, sometimes his instruction, association and nature are different from that of his family. Thus the person may have a different nature than that of his family. That nature which is perceived in a person after his education and before he takes up work is his intrinste nature The wise have scientifically classified nature into four types: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra. Those who have sense control, mind control, tolerance, purity, forgiveness, nonduplicity, cultivation of knowledge and faith worship of the Lord have brahmanical nature. Those who have valor, energy, determination, dexterity, fearlessness in battle, charitable inclination, ability to protect others and ability to control others have ksatriya nature. Those who are inclined to agriculture, raising cows and trade have vaisya nature. Those who maintain their life by serving others have sudra nature. 1 Those who do not distinguish proper from improper action, have no inclination for righteousness, are fond of argument, are extremely selfish, think only of food,and are devoid of marriage rules, are called antyaja or outcast. Without giving up such a nature, the real nature of a human being does not manifest. Only four classes are admitted as human, According to nature, a person possesses certain qualities. According to those qualities a person should accept work and duty. If one performs work contradictory to ones nature, it will not give proper result Itis hard to change a nature once matured. Therefore one should work and worship according to ones nature According to these natures, the people of India were classed in four varnas. If society is divided according to the varnas, all the work in society becomes effective. This is beneficial for the whole world. That society which has the varnas hhas a scientific basis and is worshipable by all. Some people may question the efficacy of the varnasrama system, since the countries of Europe attained great feats and fame without having a varnasrama system. But such a doubt has no substance, because these people are all recent. Due to being very bold and energetic, they have taken all the previous skills, arts and sciences, and begun to act. But gradually with time, these societies will fall, because of lack of scientific organization of varnas. Though the Aryan civilization is much older, it has remained intact with the same characteristics because of the varnasrama system. The Roman and Greek civilizations were much more powerful than modern European nations, but where are they now? Those peoples have become devoid of their previous qualities and taken up the qualities and life style of the modern nations. They have become so transformed that they have no pride in their previous glory. Though the Aryan civilization is much more ancient than that of the Greeks and Romans, even now the people of India take pride in their ancient heroes. Why is that? Because the varnasrama system remained strong, the culture of the society was preserved and not lost. Though the ranas were defeated by the Muslims, even today they identify themselves as the descendants from Ramacandra's line. Though the people of India may have declined to a decrepit state with age, as long as the varnasrama system is practiced, the Aryan identity will also remain. The Roman and other peoples , who were offshoots of Vedic civilization, declined as they mixed with the outcast cultures such as Huns and Vandals. If one examines modern European cultures, one will notice that all its remarkable features are due to preservation of vamas, based upon intrinsic nature of the individual Those who have the nature of merchants prefer that occupation, and by that profession obtain their progress. Those who have ksatriya nature join the military. Those who are sudra in nature prefer to do menial service. Actually no society can exist without a division of varnas. Even in matching for marriage, nature and occupational status have to be considered Though the European nations incorporated some aspects of varnas, the vanas were not systematically established there. Civilization and knowledge advance in proportion to the degree of systemization of the vamnas. There are two methods of approach: systematic and unsystematic. Things work ineffectively if a systematic method is not followed. If we do not follow a scientific procedure for making a boat, then we have to use a primitive craft for crossing the water. In the same way, as Long as the varnas are not scientifically incorporated, society will continue run on an unscientific basis. Except for India, all placesremain with unscientific incorporation of varnas. That is why India alone is known as the place of action, karma ksetra Js the system of vama in India now ina healthy state? No, though the system was established ina perfect way, it gradually deteriorated, and that is responsible for the troubles and degradation of present India. If that were not the case, India could have taken the role of an elder brother, who in old age and retirement, could give good instruction to other nations. One should deeply consider the reason for India's deteriorated state, The varnasrama system was established in India at the beginning of Treta Yuga, at which time the Aryans had advanced knowledge 2 The rile was established that each person took up a vama according to his nature, and getting a qualification through that varna, he would carry out his duties and work designated by the varna. By following this system of asrama and vara according to nature, the work of society went on smoothly. Varna was decided solely on the basis of nature for those people whose father had no varna. Jabali, Gautama, Janasruti and Citraratha are examples from Vedic history. For those whose father hhad a vara, their vara was decided on the basis of both father's varna and individual nature. From the ksatriya dynasty of Narisyanta, the great rsi Jatukarna appeared, who started a famous brahmana lineage called Agnivesya. In the Aila dynasty, Jahnu, the son of Hotraka became a brahmana, From King Vitatha of Bharadvaj's dynasty came Nara and others who were ksatriyas, and Garga, who was a brahmana. In King Bharmasva's ksatriya line were born Satananda of the Maudagalya gotra and Krpacarya. There are many examples like this in the scriptures, showing that birth is not the only qualification for occupation. When the actual system was practiced, the glory of India was as strong as the midday sun. All nations worshipped the inhabitants of Bharata as, rulers, administrators and teachers. Egypt, China and other countries used to take instruction from the people of India with great reverence The varnasrama system continued purely for a Long time, until Jamadagni and his, son Parasurama, of ksatriya nature, claimed themselves as brahmanas. By following a varna contrary to their nature, out of self interest, they created friction between the brahamana and ksatriya classes. Because of this seed of enmity between the two classes, the procedure of judging vara by birth became fixed. In time, this system of varnas without reference to nature entered covertly in the Manu Samhita and other scriptures. Without possibility of attaining a higher varna, out of frustration, the ksatriyas created Buddhism to destroy the brahmana varna, But for every action there is an equally strong reaction. Therefore the class distinction based on birth became even stronger. With the conflict between exploitation of position, based on birth (the brahmanas), and disloyalty to ones culture (ksatriyas), they gradually destroyed themselves. Those with no brahman qualities, brahmanas in name only, began to write scriptures with their own interest at heart, thus cheating the other classes. Ksatriyas, without ksatriya qualities were defeated in battle. Without their kingdoms, they began to support Buddhism. Vaisyas without vaisya nature began to preach Jainism. By this act, the great mercantile community became weakened. Laborers without sudra nature, without qualification for works of specific nature, became thieves. Running, without any scriptural reference, the country came under the control of theMuslims. Shipping companies entered. The concept of service vanished Gradually the influence of Kali deepened.3 The present pitiful condition of India, which was once the controller and teacher of the whole world, is not because of old age, but because of the corruption of the vamasrama system. By the desire of the Lord, the controller of all living beings and rules, may there arise again in India an empowered person who can establish the varnasrama system. The writer of the puranas also expectantly awaits the action of Kalki. According to the scriptures, a person is qualified for action according to his varna Jn this book it will be impossible to discuss this in detail. A brahmana is qualified for the following activities: feeding guests, bathing three times a day, deity worship, reading the Vedas, teaching, serving as priest, taking vows, leading the life of a brahmacari and sannyasi The Ksatriya is qualified for righteous war, ruling a kingdom, protecting the citizens, works of charity and social relief. The vaisya is qualified for raising and protecting animals, agriculture and commerce. The sudra is qualified for serving the deity without mantras and serving the three higher varnas. All men and ‘women of all varnas are qualified for marriage rites, worship of the Lord, helping others in distress, charity, service to guru, welcoming guests, purity of body and mind, observing festivals, serving the cow, maintaining the population and proper conduct. Women’ special qualification is serving the husband A person should do that work and follow those rules of varna which are most suitable to his nature. By honest judgment person can determine the work and lifestyle most suitable to himself, and if he cannot do so, he should consult a competent authority. Those Vaisnavas who would like additional information on. these matters should consult Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's Sat Kriya Sara Dipika. 1 Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, cleanliness, satisfaction, tolerance, simple straightforwardness, devotion tome, mercy and truthfulness are the natural, qualities of the brahmanas. Dynamic power, bodily strength, determination, heroism, tolerance, generosity, preat endeavor, steadiness, devotion to the brahmanas and leadership are the natural qualities of the ksatriyas. Faith in Vedic civilization, dedication to charity, Vedic civilization, dedication to charity, freedom from hypocrisy, service to the brahmanas and perpetually desiring to accumulate more money are the natural qualities of the vaisyas. Service without duplicity to the brahmanas, cows, demigods and other worshipable personalities, and complete satisfaction with whatever income is obtained in such service, are the natural qualities of sudras. $.B.11.17.16-19 Nonviolence, truthfulness, honesty, desire for the happiness and welfare of all others and freedom from lust, anger and greed constitute duties for all members of society. $.B.11.17.21 2 in the beginning, in Satya yuga, there is only one social class, called hamsa, to which all human beings belong. In that age all people are unalloyed devotees of the Lord from birth, and thus learned scholars call this first age Krta yuga, or the age in which all religious duties are perfectly fulfilled. In Satya yuga the Veda is expressed by the syllable om, and 1am the only object of mental activities. 1 become manifest as the four-legged bull of religion, and thus the inhabitants of Satya yuga, fixed in austerity and free from all sins, worship Me as Lord Hamsa, Ogreatly fortunate one, at the beginning of Treta yuga Vedic knowledge appeared from My heart, which is the abode of the air of life, in three divisions- as Rg, Sama And Yajur. Then from that knowledge 1 appeared as threefold sacrifice. In Treta yuga the four social orders were manifested from the universal form of the Personality of Godhead. The brahmanas appeared from the Lord's face, the ksatriyas from the Lord's arms, the vaisyas from the Lord's thighs and the sudras from the legs of that might form. Each social division was recognized by its particular duties and behavior. $.B.11.17.10-13 3 It is abominable for a person living in the grhastha asrama to give up the regulative principles, for a brahmacari not to follow the brahmacari vows while living under the care of the guru for the vanaprastha to live in the village and engage in so-called social activities, or for the sannyasi to be addicted to sense gratification, One who acts in this way is to be considered the lowest renegade. Such a pretender is bewildered by the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one should either reject him from any position, or taking compassion upon him, teach him, if possible, to resume his original position. S.B.7.15.38-39 Part Four Asrama Man's activity stems from his nature. This activity is situated in an asrama Taking shelter of that asrama a man performs his work. As varnas and asramas are intimately related, karma is sometimes called varnasrama dharma. There are four asramas: brahamacarya, grhasthya, varnaprastha and sannyasa Those of brahminical nature are qualified for brahmacarya. The bralmacariis of controlled mind, proper, gentle conduct, accepts bodily austerities, and stays in the gurukula until his studies are completed. Then, after giving the guru a donation, with his permission, he may get married. It is written in the Caitanya Caritamrta, in praise of Murari Gupta's behavior He never accepted things from others, but maintained his family by his own endeavors. All varnas are qualified for grhastha asrama. The bralmana enters household life after his brahmacari education is finished; the ksatriya , after studying the scriptures to some extent, leaves the gurukula and enters the grhastha asrama. The vaisya studies those subjects relevant to cow protection, commerce and agriculture. The sudras, when of proper age, simply get married. The varna of a person should be decided by father, family priest, local community at the time of educating the child. The child should be placed in studies which suit his observed nature, Those who have no attraction for study, and are more inclined to do service, will waste their time in studies. Ifhe is judged to be of sudra nature he should be engaged in service In order to be a householder a person should first have a means of earning hisliving. This varies according to the different varnas, The six activities of the brahmana are: perform worship or sacrifice, perform this for others, studying , teaching, giving charity and accepting charity. In performing worship, studying, and giving charity he spends money, and in performing worship for others, teaching and accepting charity, he earns money. Ksatriyas support themselves by taxes and revenues, and by use of weapons. The vaisya earns by raising cows, agriculture and commerce, and the sudra ears by serving the three higher varnas.1 In emergency circumstances, the brahmanas can take up ksatriya and vaisya occupations, but the three higher varnas should not take up a sudra occupation unless there is extreme circumstance. The person should accept a wife according the scriptural rules and produce children. The householder should express gratitude to his ancestors by offering pinda, he should worship the devas with sacrifices, serve guests by offering food, and respect all living beings by correct behavior. As the sannyasi parivrajka and the brahmacari survive by the charity of the householder, the householder asrama is considered the best ‘When a man grows older he should leave his wife with the son, and take varnaprastha, If there is no son, he may take his wife with him, and together they g0 to the forest. Reducing needs, he sleeps on the earth, makes clothing of the bark. of trees, avoids shaving, observes a vow of silence, baths three times a day, serves guests as far as possible, eats forest fruits and roots, and worships the Lord ina solitary place. All varnas can take vanaprastha Sannyasa asrama is the fourth asrama.2 This person is called a bhiksu or parivrajaka. When the brahamcari, grhasthi or vanaprasthi develops a keen sense of renunciation, is devoid of attachment to family life, is able to tolerate all difficulties, has gained knowledge of the truth, has no desire for worldly friendship, develops equal vision of all living beings, is devoid of envy, has compassion, has fixed his mind on the Lord, and is engaged in yoga, he is fit for sannyasa, The sannyasi is always engaged in meditation on the Lord. He should not stay ina village more than one night, except when observing caturmaysa vows ‘In this first stage the sannyasi begs only from brahmanas. Only brahmanas are allowed to accept this asrama. Those who are devoid of normal physical or mental power (those who are mentally or physically disabled, too young or too old) are not qualified for any asrama, but exist at the mercy of the asramas. The people of the asramas are obligated to assist them as much as possible Women are allowed to enter the grhastha asrama and vanaprastha asrama only Though some women, being exceptionally qualified, achieving high education, expert understanding of scripture and great expertise, may become a brahmacari or sannyasi, it is not the normal rule, as women are usually of weaker body, faith and discriminating power. The household asrama may be considered the only asrama, since the other three asramas depend on it. Most of society takes up household life. Those who are specially qualified become brahmacari, vanaprasthi and sannyasi, but theirnumbers are few. Without such division of asramas according to different types of activity, social consciousness will not be complete The rules for the household life are elaborately described in the twenty dharma sastras and the Puranas. The manus, rsis, and prajapatis have written in respective scriptures what activities the householder should do and what activities he should avoid, ona daily, fortnightly, monthly, semiannual and annual schedule. The rules are many and should the subject of a separate work. Here they have been given only a brief treatment 1 Fora brahmana there are six occupational duties. A ksatriya should not accept charity, but he may perform the other five of these duties. A king or ksatriya is not allowed to levy taxes on brahmanas, but he may make his livelihood by levying minimal taxes, customs duties, and penalty fines upon his other subject. The mercantile community should always follow the directions of the brahmanas and engage in such occupational duties as agriculture, trade, and protection of cows. For the sudras the only duty is to accept a master from a higher social order and engage in his service. 5.B.7.11.14-15 If one acts in his profession according to his position in the modes of nature and gradually gives up these activities, he attains the niskama state. S.B.7.11.32 2 One who desires to conquer the mind must leave the company of his family and live ina solitary place, free from contaminated association. To maintain the body and soul together, he should beg as much as he needs for the bare necessities of life. $.B.7.15.30 Part Five Daily duties Rising during the brahma muhurta, a person should fix his mind by thinking of, the spiritual and worldly activities he must perform that day. Relieving himself in a place proper according to the scriptural rules every moming, he should clean his face, mouth, arms, hands and other body organs. Bathing in pure fresh water, he should dress in suitable cloth. Then he should work by a method allotted by his varna, According to state of health he may bathe again at noon and offer worship of the Lord and tarpanas to the pitras. After preparing meals, he should put some aside for animals and destitute persons, and stand at his door front to receive any guest. Ifa guest comes, he should feed him with attention. He need not feed people of his own town, but rather those who are from other places, without relatives, who have no money and are hungry. He should not inquire about their family lineage (gotra). He should first of all feed a sinless brahman. After feeding a pregnant woman, his own children, and the elders, he should himself take his meal, while facing north or east. He should eat only food which is fresh, pure, and wholesome, untouched by sinful people, from a pure plate, at a regulated time. After eating he should contemplate the Lord. Without being lazy he should do some light task, and in the last part of the day he should read or discuss the scriptures. At the sunset he should perform his sandhya rites withgreat concentration, and then, as at noon, he should serve any guests with food, after which he should eat. At night he should offer a place and bed for his guest tosleep in. Then he should sleep in a clean bed with head facing east or south, as sleeping with head to the north or west causes sickness. He should not associate with his wife against the rules of scripture. In other words, the householder should live his life by working honestly in order to support his own family, guests and shelterless people, while following the scriptural rules for purification of body and mind in order to maintain a sinless heart. All the daily rules cannot be practiced perfectly in modern times, due to the influence of differing political and social trends. Since in modern states, the main activities are reserved for midday, people eat first, then work. Due to time, the rules for keeping good health have also changed, and thus eating so late at night, bathing three times a day and staying awake at night are not necessary. The essential goal of these rules formulated by the great rsis was to carry out the bodily activities of eating, bathing and sleeping without hindrance or sin. Thus the householder should perform his daily activities with great faith after considering his individual needs.1 Rules for daily activities include rules for body, mind, society and afterlife. Such. bodily rules as rising early in the morning, cleaning the body, suitable work, bathing, eating at the proper time, choice of nourishing food, drinking fresh water, strolling, wearing clean cloth, sleeping no more than eight hours, must be done daily, For steadiness of mind a person must daily cultivate different facets of knowledge such as geography, astronomy, history, geometry, mathematics, chemistry, physics, medicine, literature, philosophy of life's goals, meditation and contemplation of the day's work. Daily he must also earn a living by lawful work, raise his family, and perform works beneficial for society and the world. For assuring good afterlife, he must daily perform rites at the sandhya, Most of the activities are daily, but some are performed every two weeks, or monthly, or every six months, yearly, or irregularly. The daily activities are called nitya karma The others are called naimittika karma: some of these are performed at regular intervals and some at irregular intervals, The householder must always remain free from sin and engage in beneficial work The previous descriptions were of the works which yield beneficial results. Now, in order avoid sin, a description of the main sinful activities will be given.2 There are eleven principal sins: violence, cruelty, anger, wandering mind, lying, disobedience toa superior, lust, selfishness, impurity, rude conduct, and destructiveness Violence is of three sorts: against man, animal and devas. To kill another living being is called violence. It arises from hatred. Attachment to an object is called raga, and repulsion to an object is called dvesa. Permitted attachment is considered a beneficial act, a punya, but unauthorized attachment is called lust. The opposite tendency to attachment is repulsion, Permitted repulsion is considered a punya, while unlawiul repulsion is sin, the root of violence and hatred. In society,people must treat others with affection; only the person involved in sin shows violence and hatred to others, As violence is a great sin, all people must avoid it Violence to humans is the greatest sin. The amount of reaction will be according to the elevated qualities of the victim. Thus greater sin is respectively incurred against the following’ brahmana, a relative or parent, a woman, a vaisnava, a guru Even killing animals is not an ordinary sin. The killers of animals, showing their animal nature, are controlled by their appetites and selfishness. Unless a person gives up violence to animals, he cannot display his nature as a human being. The purpose of animal sacrifices prescribed in the scriptures is for gradually restricting, the lower nature of the sacrificer until he finally gives it up.3 Violence to animals is for animals, not for the human being Violence to the devas is also a serious sin. Men in different countries have different methods of worship. The purpose is to gradually bring the person worship of the Supreme Lord. Ignorant fanatics, however, think their way is best and condemn all others, they destroy someone else's temple or deity at any opportunity. As the Lord is only one, by such acts they commit violence to God. Those who have proper conduct must always avoid such unlawful and bestial actions.+ Cruelty may be directed towards human beings or animals. Ifa person acts, cruelly towards other men he creates a disturbance to the world. A world devoid of mercy means a world filled with cruelty. Such people as Nero and Serajaddaulla brought preat problems to the world. If a person has that tendency in his mind he must pradually replace it with a merciful attitude and practice being merciful to others. Even in some low religions of the moder world, cruelty to animals has become a prescribed practice, This only brings infamy to its founders. Ifa compassionate person sees the way in which horse and bullock owners treat the animals pulling their cart, he cannot help but feel pain. People must give up treating animals with such cruelty. Hypocrisy is asin. When a person acts deceitfully towards another by habit or with self interest, itis called crooked dealing. When this deceitful nature becomes extreme it becomes cruelty. A person who is very attached to this sin is a pretender llusionS is of four types: intoxication, being possessed by the six enemies, atheism and laziness. Many problems of the world are caused by intoxication. All sins reside in intoxications. Alcohol, marijuana, opium, tobacco and betel nut counted as intoxicants. Some of these disturb the mind and destroy the health. Opium reduces a person's mental power and turns him into an animal. Tobacco has a similar effect, lowering man's nature and making him an addict. Drinking alcohol is very dangerous, A real human being should not contact an alcohol drinker except to give him medical advice The six enemies are lust. anger, greed, pride, delusion and envy. If they take control of the mind, man becomes sinful. To desire those items which arenecessary for minimal daily existence is not lust, but to aspire for more than this is called lust. Following this lust puts us in various difficulties. If desires are not fulfilled, anger results, From anger comes quarreling, harsh words, fighting, murder and all sorts of sinful actions, Greed overtakes us by degrees, until we commit sinful activity to fulfill it. Pride is the tendency to think oneself great. The human being actually attains gentle behavior when he begins to think of himself as very insignificant. If we think of ourselves as servants of God, pride will not possess us. Delusion means ignorance. Not being able to tolerate another person's elevated position is called envy. Itis the root of all sin. Ifa person is overcome by any of these six enemies he is said to be in illusion Atheism is of two types: conviction that God does not exist, an doubt that God does exists. This is also a type of illusion that we see repeatedly in this world Insane people are usually atheists as well. Ina healthy state, some people have faith, but when insanity strikes they lose their faith. When they become normal, they also regain their faith. Some insane person may chant day and night, but when asked about it, they say that they are God. Laziness is also considered a sin, and must be avoided Falsehood consists of verbal lies, cheating religion, cheating conduct and prejudice. Lying is forbidden, and to tell a lie under oath is even more serious, Therefore in no circumstance should a person tell a lie. Those who act falsely in society lose their credibility and become the object of contempt. Cheating, religion is also a serious sin. Those who decorate themselves on the exterior with the signs of a pious person (tilaka, mala, sacred thread, red or white cloth), but have no internal devotion to the Lord, are called religious pretenders. Those who carry out deceitful dealings with others or who smile without revealing their true intentions, are called duplicitous, and gain the hatred of all. Favoritism means to support an unjust party rather than support the righteous side for selfish reasons. This type of conduct must be avoided Disrespect to elders has three obpects: parents, teachers, and other superiors. Even if the superior makes a mistake, he should not be disrespected. A person should be careful to please superiors with polite and gracious conduct. To disobey the orders of superiors is also disrespect Lust manifests itself in relation to money, women and position. By indulging in lust for wealth and goods, gradually desire increases to such an extent that happiness is not possible. A person should give up this lust and live simply, so that even if he gains wealth and possessions, he does not develop such lust in the heart. Lust for women is a great sin. Relations with anther's wife or with a prostitute is forbidden. Even in living with his wife, a person must observe scriptural rules for physical and social benefit. To fall under the control of a woman is certain ruination 6 By illicit contact with women a person weakens his body, misuse of his sex organ creates unintelligent, sickly, short-lived children. In India, sexual contact is forbidden before the age of 16 for a woman and 21 for a man. Lust for women should be prevented by proper scriptural conduct. By lusting for position a person becomes very selfish. This type of lust must beavoided by following the rules in an unselfish way. Selfishness is a great sin. Though all endeavors for gaining material assets in this life or the next are for ones own benefit, there is no injunction forbidding pursuit of those interests, for God has sanctioned personal and universal benefit to occur simultaneously. But if we ignore God's interest, we can do no good to the world That self-interest which lives at the expense of others' welfare is condemned From such selfishness arises undue miserliness towards ones family members, reluctance to do charity, argument, theft, frustration, egotism, envy, violence, lust and extravagance. According to the degree of selfishness in a person , one can measure his disservice to himself and the world. If no attempt is made to remove selfishness form the heart, the human being can not perform any beneficial activity Impurity is of two types: bodily and mental. These have three subdivisions impurity due to place, time and utensil, By going to an impure place to perform a person becomes impure. Therefore according to the scriptures, if a person goes toa foreign land he becomes impure. But there is no injunction against going to foreign lands to free people from the hands of evil rulers by battle or diplomacy or to preach the real dharma. But to live in foreign places in order to learn useless sciences and morality has brought the ruination of the Aryans. Whoever contacts such impure places is supposed to perform acts of repentance to purify himself. According to karma kanda, times like mala masa (intercalary month) are considered impure , because works should only be performed at the scripturally prescribed times. Additional months and the times of great celestial events such as eclipses are not considered as proper for performing regular rituals. To do activities during this time is considered impure. There is impurity due to time attached to sexual activity, eating and sleeping. By doing activities or making offerings to the deity on behalf of a sinful drunkard or lusty person one also develops impurity. If body, cloth bed or house remains unclean, impurity also results. After passing nature it is necessary to purify the body by washing with water, Illusion and hatred produce impurity of the heart. Improper conduct is another sin. To disregard the conduct which has been delineated by the saintly people and take up conduct of foreigners is improper conduct. Those who, by associating with foreigners for a time, give up the pure rules of varnasrama in favor of freedom from rules, become fallen, acting against the perfect, scientific rules of conduct. For purification they must perform penances There are five types of activities which are destructive to the world.: opposition to good works, false renunciation, preaching irreligion in the name of God, unjust war, and waste. By creating obstacles directly or indirectly to those who are engaged in beneficial work, the whole world suffers, Detachment produced through activities of devotional service and spiritual knowledge is best. To try to produce detachment by ones own effort simply produces disturbing effects. This is false renunciation. Normally people should stay as householders and follow therules for grhastha asrama. When genuine detachment appears, a person should act according to the rules of sannyasa. Otherwise he should gradually decrease his household duties while engaging more in the Lord's service. That is real renunciation, Itis sinful to leave the family simply because of some problem or because it seems difficult to manage. This is instant renunciation without having the proper qualification. Some people wrongly think that they can put on the cloth of a renunciate and obtain devotion later. Such renunciation does not arise from their nature, but from a temporary whim. Having arisen only temporarily, that renunciation can throw him back into sinful life and sense gratification, Having real qualities of renunciation should be the cause of taking such a role Proper conduct means to follow the actions prescribed in scripture that are suitable to ones qualities 7 Ifa person takes a role which is not suitable to his qualities, he simply creates a disturbance to himself and the world. Taking on activities for which one does not have the capacity destroys the world Preaching irreligion in the name of religion is very common. Nera, baul, kartabhap, daravesa, kumbhapatiya, ativari, sveccacari and other such groups are all harmful. The sin that they spread by their activities is destructive to the world The illicit sexual activities that pervade the sahajiyas, neras, bauilas and kartabhajas is completely against the Vedic norms. Wars for increasing the size of a country are sinful and destructive. Only unavoidable wars are allowed by scripture. A person should spend his time, money, energy and materials correctly. By misspending, he commits a sin. According to the seriousness of the sin, it has various names such as papa, pataka, atipataka, mahapataka, When sins are committed against the devotee and the Lord they are called offenses, or aparadhas. These are the most serious sins and should be avoided. In the next chapter these will be discussed In this book only a summary has been given of religion and irreligion, sin and pious activity, rules and prohibitions. To know more about these topics, please consult the twenty dhamma sastras, Mahabharata and the Puranas. Leading a life according the principles of God is the only thing of value in this temporary world. One should make all efforts to do this 8 Prescribed actions are of two types: traivargika, which yield temporary, material results for oneself, and apavargika, which yields liberation from the material world, However in performing devotion to Krsna, the best of the apavargika dharmas, there is no need to strive for liberation, devotion itself is the end 1 According to the Vedas, there are two kinds of activities-pravrtti and nivrtti. Pravriti activities involve raising oneself from a lower to a higher condition of materialistic life, whereas nivrtti means the cessation of material desire. Through pravriti activities one suffers from material entanglement, but by nivrtti activities one is purified and becomes fit to enjoy eternal, blissful life. S.B.7.15.47 2 Theft, violence, speaking lies, duplicity, lust, anger, perplexity, pride, quarreling, enmity, faithlessness, envy and the dangers caused by women, gambling and intoxication are the fifteen undesirable qualities that contaminate men because of,greed for wealth. Although these qualities are undesirable, men falsely ascribe value to them, One desiring to achieve the real benefit of life should therefore remain aloof from undesirable material wealth. $.B.11.23.18-19 3 In this material world the conditioned soul is always is inclined to sex, meat- eating and intoxication. Therefore religious scriptures never actually encourage such activities. Although the scriptural in junctions provide for sex sacred marriage, for meat-eating through sacrificial offerings and for intoxication through the acceptance of ritual cups of wine, such ceremonies are meant for the ultimate purpose of renunciation. $.B.11.5.11 According to the Vedic injunctions, when wine is offered in sacrificial ceremonies it is later to be consumed by smelling, and not by drinking, Similarly, the sacrificial offering of animals is permitted, but there is no provision for wide-scale animal slaughter, Religious sex life is also permitted, but only in marriage for begetting children, and not for sensuous exploitation of the body. Unfortunately, however, the less intelligent materialists cannot understand that their duties in life should be performed purely on the spiritual platform. $.B 11.5.13 4 Those who have not achieved knowledge of the Absolute Truth, yet who are still beyond the darkness of complete ignorance, generally follow the threefold path of pious material life, namely religiosity, economic development and sense gratification, Not having time to reflect on any higher purpose, they become the killers of their own soul. $.B.11.5.16 5 Maharaj Pariksit, thus being petitioned by the personality of Kali, gave him permission to reside in places where gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter were performed. The personality of Kali asked for something more, and because of his begging, the King gave him permission to live where there is gold because wherever there is gold there is also falsity, intoxication, lust, envy and enmity. S.B.1.17.38-39 6 If, therefore, the living entity again associates with the path of unrighteousness, influenced by sensually minded people engaged in the pursuit of sexual enjoyment and the gratification of the palate, he again goes to hell as before. He becomes devoid of truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, gravity, spiritual intelligence, shyness, austerity, fame, forgiveness, control of the mind, control of the senses, fortune and all such opportunities. $.B.31.32-33 7 Steadiness in one’s own position is declared to be actual piety, whereas deviation from one's is considered impiety. In this way the two are definitely ascertained $.B.11.212 8 Those who are followers of this varnasrama system accept principles according, to authorized traditions of proper conduct. When such varnasrama duties are dedicated to Me in loving service, they award the supreme perfection of life $.B.11.18.47 Chapter Three Vaidhi BhaktiPart One General characteristics of Vaidhi Bhakti Those principles of religion which arise from the rules of scripture are divided into two types: mundane and spiritual. The rules for artha dharma and kama are mundane dharma, Those rules are for well-being of body, mind, society, morality and afterlife on svarga loka, which is temporary. After enjoying the happiness of svarga one must return to the earth planet. The varnasrama system described previously is also mundane. 1 Dharma, artha and kama come in cyclic progression, and the soul never gets release from following those rules. The goal of those rules is material acquisition, and thus they are all called mundane or material Whatever results are obtained by doing those activities are material Those material results lead to more action, which lead to more material results The result after which there is no more chain of action is called spiritual or apavarga. Material religion may be either polytheistic or monotheistic. An example will illustrate the chain of action and result Marriage is an action; its goal is children, who should perform action, in the form, of offering rites when the parents die. When this goal is achieved and turns to action of offering the pindas, the goal is to satisfy the pitras. The satisfaction of the pitras leads to the satisfaction of the children. The children then perform more actions, which give more results, which leads to more actions. The results of all theses actions is temporary. Therefore the happiness of begetting children and even the peace arising from liberation and the bliss of brahman are all within the chain of material action and material result. When the bliss of brahman matures to bliss of service to the Supreme Lord, the material chain ends and the final result is achieved in the form of spiritual life. Thus apavarga has two meanings: liberation and devotion, When a person attains liberation from material bondage he attains the etemal dharma of bhakti, devotion. As long as dharma aims at material goals, it is called material dharma or material religion. Itis also called morality or smarta dharma. When dharma aims at spiritual goals, it is called spiritual dharma or spisitual religion. When it follows the rules of scripture it is called sadhana bhakti. The so-called worship of the Lord observed in smarta dharma (sandhya rites, deity worship, sacrifice, and prayers) is not on the spiritual level, because all those daily and occasional actions of worship simply result in nourishing the worshipper's material tendency or improving the social environment. Such worship can be clssed as karma because the end result is material. For those following material dharma, worship of the Lord is only one rule amongst many. It is not the eternal loyalty to the Lord which is found in real spiritual dharma. Those actions which aim at the well being of body, mind and society are called naitika or moralistic. Though actually not accepting the Lord as, real, the followers of material dharma accept worship of the Lord on the naitika level, as a means of purification. Even Compte, an avoided atheist, accepted worship of the Lord as a means of purification of mind. On the path of mundane faith, all worship of the Lord is of this type. The arrangements for mediating on forms of the Lord found in yoga scriptures is also of this type. But theprescriptions for devotion service according to rules (vaidhi bhakti) found in the devotional literatures is purely spiritual religion or apavarga dharma On deeply analyzing the matter, it will be found that there is great conceptual difference between the rules of material dharma (smarta or naitika) with motivated worship, and the rules of spiritual dharma which advocate constant dedication to the Lord. This difference is not a difference in activity or ritual, but rather a difference in consciousness, The faithless moralists and smartas, taking ethical principles as the highest goal, limit religious life to fulfilment of dharma, artha and kama, whereas the devotees of vaidha bhakti increase the limits of dharma, artha and kama by linking them to spiritual, totally non-material goals. Thus the mundane, moralistic dharma is included within the spiritual dharma, When naitika dharma develops and becomes complete, it becomes spiritual dharma.3 With the addition of dedication to the Lord to the mundane dharma, it blossoms and becomes spiritual dharma Though a person situated in the world may accept spiritual dharma, he does not give up the rules of mundane dharma, for the rules of varnasrama still assist him in supporting his body, mind and social environment. Being comfortable as a result of proper body, mind and surroundings, he is able to attain the eternal bliss of worshipping the Lord. The mundane dharma is called karma kanda and the spiritual dharma is called sadhana bhakti. It is apparent that the secondary rules of karma are one division of scripture and the principal rules of bhakti are another division There are two processes in attaining devotion: the gradual process and the sudden process. In the Caitanya Caritamrta the Lord described to Sri Rupa Goswami the gradually path The unlimited living entities can be divided into two divisions--those that can move and those that cannot move. Among living entities that can move, there are birds, aquatics and animals, Although the living entities known as human beings are very small in quantity, that division may be still further subdivided, for there are many uncultured human beings like mlecchas, pulindas, bauddhas and sabaras, Among human beings, those who are folllowers of the Vedic principles are considired civilized. Among these, almost half simply give lip service while committing all kinds of sinful activities against these principles. Such people do not care for the regulative principles. Among the followers of Vedic knowledge, most are following the process of fruitive activity and distinguishing between good and bad work. Out of many siuch sincere frutive actors, there may be one who is actually wise. Out of many million so such wise men, one may actually become liberated and out of many millions of such liberated persons, a pure devotee of Lord Krsna is very difficult to find. Because a devotee of Lord Krsna is desreless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material enjoyment, jnanis desire liberation, and yogi desire material opulence; therefore they are all lusty and cannot be peaceful ‘C.C. Madhya 19.144-149The trees and other motionless entities have covered consciousness. Reptiles, aquatics and other animals have restricted consciousness. The primitive people and civilized people with arts and sciences, but no varnasrama dharma, are devoid of moral principles. Buddhist and other atheistic groups have only moral culture Those who accept the Vedas but do not practice strictly have morals with a material conception of God. Those who actually practice dharma have belief in God conditioned by moral culture. Amongst those some people discover the real wuth, and amongst those, a few obtain liberation from material consciousness Amongst those, a few attain devotion to the Lord Those who accept material results, liberation, and powers of yoga attain no real peace. Only the devotee is peaceful. Thus the human being may progress from. uncivilized to civilized, to ethical, to theistic dharma, Not being distracted by those results--material enjoyment, liberation and powers of yoga--a person then progresses to devotional life. This is the process of gradual progress for the soul This is the prescription of all scriptures and the path which will give certain results Mahaprabhu described to Sanatana Goswami as follows: There are unlimited conditioned souls who are bereft of Lord Krsna's service. Not knowing how to cross the ocean of necsience, they are scattered by waves, time and tide. However, some are fortunate to contact devotees, and by this contact they are delivered from the ocean of nescience, just as a Log, floating down a siver, accidentally washes upon the bank C.C. Madhya 22.43 The sudden process is caused by the mercy of Krsna, the mercy of a devotee and destruction of obstacles created to previous practice. Where the sudden process operates, it supersedes the gradual process. Krsna, the creator of all rules, is the cause of this. It cannot be accommodated by reasoning power. The Logical contradiction between rule and mercy, which surpasses human intellect, can be reconciled within the Lord, within whom all opposites coexist harmoniously, Thus by the mercy of Narada, the lawiess hunter attained devotional life without having to take up a civilized life and basic moral principles. By the mercy of Rama, Sabari, a tribal, attained a high state of devotion. Such persons did not hhave to practice the many intervening stages of life. + It should be understood that when a person attains devotional life, all the good qualities of moral and civilized life automatically appear as the ornaments of his life. But as this sudden. process is rare and unpredictable, one should not rely upon it, but rather take shelter of the gradual process. If the sudden process happens to appear, all the better On the path of gradual development the person must take care to elevate himself toa higher level, no matter on which level he is situated. By good fortune itis the nature of the soul that gradually it elevates itself, but there are obstacles such thatthe soul may fail to reach the goal. Thus those who desire to reach a higher standard must always be conscious of that fact. In progressing from one level of life to another two things should be considered. A person should be firmly fixed in his present position in order to take a firm step forward. Then, in order to advance to a higher level, when one foot gives up the previous place, that foot must fix itself firmly in the higher place before the other foot can raise itself to the same level. Simultaneously, the person must give up the lower level and establish himself firmly in the higher level. If he moves too quickly, he will fall. If he moves too slowly, the results will also come slowly. By progressing from tribal life, civilized life, moral life, moral life with materially conceived God, moral life with acceptance of God, to devotional life in practice (sadhana bhakti), step by step, the living entity can achieve the highest end, prema. If he hurries too quickly to progres to one step, he will fall to the lower step. If he delays too long on one step, he will become lazy and block his own progress. Understanding that both excessively quick or slow movement is an obstacle, a person should elevate himself gradually by fixing himself firmly on one level, and then giving it up when he has attained firmness in the next higher level Some people lament that they have not attained devotion to Krsna but at the same time they do not make any real attempt to raise themselves to the level of Krsna bhakti. They remain bound to one of the levels without due cause, and do not make any attempt to progress (niyamagraha).5 If a person stops at one step how can he expect to progress to the top? Many devotees on the level of vaidhi bhakti make no attempt to progress to bhava bhakti, and lament that they have not attained bhava. Many people remain attached to the rules of varnasrama and are indifferent to bhava and prema. This is an obstacle to their own advancement Those who are fortunate to receive the teachings of Lord Caitanya, however, can progress very quickly. Ina short lifespan a person can easily progress from varnasrama to the highest level of prema.6 Those who have taken shelter of the rules of gradual development do not have to wait for another birth to elevate themselves. However, those who act like dead fish and simply float on the currents of fate in the ocean of material existence, advancing and retreating with the ebb and flow of the tide, can hardly attain the desired goal. The general characteristic of either gradual or sudden devotion is found in vaidhi bhakti: it is favorable cultivation of Krsna, with no desire other than the desire to nourish devotion itself, and it is uncontaminated by jnana or karma.7 Cultivation of Krsna is the essential part of bhakti. The cultivation of God can be found in karma marga but it is a secondary part of morality, It is not devotion, because moral conduct is the master and worship of God is but a servant of morality, On the path of jnana, there is cultivation of pure knowledge of Brahman. There, knowledge is the master and worship of God is the servant, That also is not bhakti. In bhakti, God is the only object of cultivation.8 This cultivation of the Lord must always be in a favorable mood. Though cultivation or absorption can also be unfavorable, that is not bhakti. One can cultivate bhakti favorably by making ones life favorable to bhakti. While existing in this material. body performing actions related to the bodily needs (karma) and making distinctions ofmaterial and non-material (jana) are unavoidable, but where that karma and jana cover the cultivation of bhakti, bhakti no Longer exists. Where dedication to the Lord dominates karma and jnana, bhakti may be said to exist Those following vaidhi bhakti should think of dedication to the Lord as their principle work in life. It is a cultivation performed , not from fear or hatred, but with affection and love. That is the meaning of favorable. Though it is necessary to maintain the body by following the rules of varnasrama, the devotee never allows those rules to overpower his devotion of the Lord. Those rules always remain as followers of the cultivation of the Lord. Whatever knowledge is necessary for realizing the soul beyond the material realm of experience, it always remains as the servant of devotional cultivation, and never supersedes the position of devotion. Allactions and all knowledge are for the advancement of bhakti alone. This is how the devotee of vaidhi bhakti lives his life 1 Until his pious results are used up, the performer of sacrifice en joys life in the heavenly planets, When the pious results are exhausted, however, he falls down. from the pleasure gardens of, being moved against his desire by the force of eternal time. $.B.11.10.26 2 One who desires to be absorbed in the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence should worship the master of the Vedas, one who desires powerful sex should worship the heavenly king, Indra, and one who desires good progeny should worship the great progenitors called the Prajapatis, One who desires good fortune should worship Durgadevi, the superintendent of the material world. One desiring to be very powerful should worship fire, and one who aspires only after money should worship the Vasus. One should worship the Rudra incarnations of Lord Siva if he wants to be a great hero. 5.B.2.3.2-5 A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead. All the different kind of worshipers of, multidemigods can attain the highest perfectional benediction, which is spontaneous attraction unflinchingly fixed upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by the association of the pure devotee of the Lord. S.B2.3.10-11 In such a degraded body, he unfortunately continues to perform inauspicious activities that greatly increase his future unhappiness, and therefore he again accepts a similar material body. What possible happiness can there be for one who engages in activities inevitably terminating in death? In all the planetary systems, from the heavenly to the hellish, and all of the great demigods who live for one thousand yuga cycles, there is fear of Me in My form of time. Even Brahma, who possesses the supreme life span of 311,040,000,000,000 years, is also afraid of Me. $.B.11.10-.29-30 30 best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one's own, occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead. $.B.1.2.13 4 Inevery yuga many living entities entangled in the modes of passion and ignorance gained the association of My devotees. Thus, such living entities as the Daityas, Raksasas, birds, beasts, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Nagas, Siddhas, Caranas,Guhyakas and Vidyadharas, as well as such lower-class human beings as the vaisyas, sudras, women and others, were able to achieve My supreme abode \Vitrasura, Prahlada Maharaja and others like them also achieved my abode by association with My devotees, as did personalities such as Vrsaparva, Bali Maharaja, Banasura, Maya, Vibhisana, Sugriva, Hanuman, Jambavan, Gajendra, Jatayu, Tuladhara, Dharma-vyadha, Kubp, the gopis in Vindavana and the wives of the brahmanas who were performing sacrifice. These persons 1 have mentioned did not undergo serious studies of the Vedic literature, nor did they worship great saintly persons, nor did they execute severe vows or austerities. Simply by association with Me and My devotees, they achieved Me. $.B.11.12.3-7 5 Upadesamrta 3 6 O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth-- ‘women, vaisyas and sudras--can attain the supreme destination. How much more this is so of the righteous brahmanas, the devotees and the saintly kings Therefore, having come to this temporary, miserable world, engage in loving, service unto Me. B.G.9.32-33 7 When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, anhd fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Krsna favorably, as Krsna desires. B.S.1.1.11 8 The senses are symbolic representations of the demigods, and their natural, inclination is to work under the direction of the Vedic injunctions. As the senses are representatives of the demigods, so the mind is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mind's natural duty is to serve. When that service spirit is engaged in devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, without any motive, that is far better than salvation S.B.3.25.32 The manifestation of unadulterated devotional service is exhibited when one's mind is at once attracted to hearing the transcendental name and qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is residing in everyone's heart. Just as the water of the Ganges flows naturally down towards the ocean, such devotional ecstasy, uninterrupted by any material condition, flows towards the Supreme Lord $.B.3.29.11-12 Part Two The rules for Cultivating Bhakti Following the rules of bhakti to attract the heart to the lotus feet of Krsna while simultaneously maintaining the body through the rules of varnasrama is called bhakti yoga.1 The cultivation of the Lord is essential in this process. There are five types of cultivation: with body, mind, soul, matter and society There are seven types of bodily cultivation using the external senses:2 hearing, chanting, smelling, seeing, touching, tasting and moving limbs. Cultivation through hearing may be hearing scriptures, the name of the Lord or songs about the Lord, and lectures about the Lord. Hearing scriptures consists of hearing topics on the philosophical status of the Lord, descriptions of the Lord's activities,stories of the lives of devotees, and puranic histories of the devotees’ dynastes Those works written by devotees of the Lord should be heard with the proper conclusion; those which present non-devotional conclusions should be avoided The conclusion of all scriptures is devotion to the Lord. Understanding scriptures takes place through a sixfold process: upakrama, upasamhara, abhyasa, apurvata, phala, arthavada and upapatti. Through this process, one can arrive at the Conclusion that devotion to the Lord is the import of all scriptures The devotee will listen to those songs which cultivate devotion by description of the Lord's pastimes, rather than those songs which are merely for satisfying the senses. He should strictly avoid those songs which increase material attachment of the mind, Prayers and instrumental music should be heard while offering service to the Lord Cultivation through chanting is extremely powerful. There are five types of chanting: recitation of scripture, recitation of the Lord's names and pastimes, recitation of verses, submissive offerings and japa. Recitation of the Lord's names and pastimes may be done by song, narration, lecture or class. Submissive offerings are of three types: prayer, admission of lowliness and longing, Japa refers to soft chanting of mantra Cultivation of bhakti by using the sense of smell is performed by smelling flowers, tulasi, sandalwood, incense, garlands, and camphor which have been offered to the Lord. Smelling those items which have not been offered to the Lord only increase material sense attachment, and therefore must be avoided Cultivation of sight is performed by seeing the deity, the devotees, the holy places, the temple, dramatic performances and pictures depicting the Lord. The sense of sight focusing on material forms can throw a person into the well of material life and thus seeing material forms must be avoided. Whatever a person sees in the world, he must relate it to the Lord The devotee should become detached from sensation of touch related to external objects, and take joy at touching the form of the Lord. He can get satisfaction by touching and embracing the devotees. The sense of touch is very powerful, leading to sins such as illicit sexual activities. The devotee must vow that under no circumstances to touch anyone except devotees. Touch does not refer to bodily contact as such but to bodily contact which produces sense pleasure in the heart This principle should be applied not only the touch but to all senses. The devotee can engage the tongue in tasting food offered to the Lord and taking the water used to wash the feet of the Lord. The devotee does not eat anything except prasadam from the Lord. By tasting material foods, material conviction gradually becomes stronger. Remnants of the Lord and of the devotee may be eaten; both nourish bhakti Moving the limbs refers to dancing, paying respects, rising in respect, following after the deity or devotee, going to the temple, parikrama, serving guru andvaisnava, worshipping the Lord, bathing in holy water, putting on Vaisnava markings and putting the Lord's name on the body. The Vaisnava should pay respects by lowering eight parts of his body. When seeing the deity or the devotee approach, the devotee should rise to his feet. When the devotee or deity moves, the devotee should follow behind. The devotee uses his legs to go to the temple, the holy places and the devotees’ houses. Worship refers to offering items to the deity. The devotee should bathe in the water of the Ganga and Yamuna, put on tilaka according to the directions of the guru, and decorate his body with the names of the Lord In this manner the devotee on the path of vaidhi bhakti must cultivate devotion to the Lord by engaging the body. As the conditioned soul is bound by a body, and must perform some necessary activities of the body, he should do them in such a way that he does not become materially affected. By mixing all those activities with devotion to the Lord, he is able to cultivate his relationship with the Lord Inall the activities concerning the body, the mind is also acting. However the mind also has ability to act when the body is not. These are the activities referred toas mental cultivation, to distinguish them from bodily cultivation. The activities of the mind are memory, thought, conscience, emotion, inquiry and gathering of knowledge. By these functions, five types of devotional cultivation take place remembrance, meditation,3 surrender, servitude, and inquiry Memory is of two types: remembering the names of the Lord and remembrance of mantras of the Lord. Counting japa on tulasi mala is the first type. Repeating mantras using the fingers to count is remembrance of mantras, The difference between remembrance and meditation is that in remembrance the appearance of the Lord's name, mantra, form, qualities and pastimes occurs toa slight degree, whereas in meditation the form, qualities and pastimes of the Lord are clearly conceived. When meditation continues for a long time it is called dharana, and when it is deep it is called nididhyasana. Meditation encompasses both these practices Surrendering to the Lord while giving up all other interests is a type of bhakti. Those on the level of vaidhi do not have such qualification, but to be convinced that the Lord is the only shelter is prescribed for them. This is called saranapatti + Such devotees do not have aspiration for karma or jana. Servitude refers to understanding that one is the servant of the lord.5 This is a mental attitude. Those on the level of vaidhi bhakti cannot however taste completely the servitude which is included in the five major rasas. Inquizy is an important activity for the devotees. When inquiry about the Lord arises, a person surrenders to a guru, takes initiation and then takes instruction on how to worship the Lord. How can the conditioned souls attain the ultimate good if they do not make inquiry about the truth? Asking about the real actions of, the soul (sad-dharma precha) is an important limb of devotion mentioned in the devotional scripturesCultivation of bhakti using the soul is of six types’ friendship, surrender, making full efforts for the Lord, acceptance only of material necessities, rejecting personal pleasure, and following the path of the previous devotees. The soul of the person performing vaidhi bhakti is not liberated, but rather conditioned. The pure soul is free of false ego. The vaidhi bhakta is attempting to become free from the material world, and though the bondage is somewhat loosened, traces of false ego remain In such a state the devotee may still cultivates feelings involving the soul. First, the devotee thinks of the Lord as a dear friend. This feeling is however different from the sakhya rasa, being but a seed of the later manifestation. The devotee, thinking of himself as soul, also offers everything to the lotus feet of the Lord Thinking that he will offer all his possession he has to the Lord, he does not care about his own protection. All his efforts, whether of body or mind, he attempts to dedicate to the Lord. He understands that his wife, children, house, animals, wealth, possessions, body and mind are all meant fort the service of the Lord Everything is the Lord's and he accepts only what is necessary as the Lord's mercy in order to make him more qualified for the Lord's service; all other things are unnecessary. He is willing to sacrifice his enjoyment for the Lord, and he finds out the correct process ascertained by the previous devotees and follows that to the best of his ability. However, the devotee is not fully satisfied with cultivating devotion with body mind and soul, because he sees around him the material world as well. He sees his body, and within the body the mind and soul, as a small part of the universe, and thinks that the world should also be used to cultivate devotion to the Lord Infinite time6 and space7 and all the material forms may be used as ingredients for the worship of the Lord. Thinking in this way he uses place, time and matter in the cultivation of the Lord. Cultivation involving the material world is of three types: cultivation using place, time and matter. Concerning place, the devotee may go to holy places (tirthas), to temples and to devotees' houses. Dvaraka, Puri, Kanci, Mathura mandala, Navadvipa are examples of tirthas. Having heard about the Lord's pastimes in those places, and becoming filled with faith, the devotees goes to the tirthas or resides there. With faith he takes bath in the waters of the Ganga or Yamuna, which have washed the Lord's feet. The devotees goes to those places where the forms of the Lord are worshipped. The devotee should always take shelter of the houses and villages of the great devotees. He visits the birthplaces and residences of the associates of Lord Caitanya with faith. By visiting or residing in these places and hearing constantly topics about the Lord and his devotees, attraction for Krsna will arise Time should also be used to cultivate service to the Lord. After working in the material world for two weeks, a person must cultivate the Lord by giving up eating and sleeping on the ekadasi. The devotee should also observe the vows during Damodara month, and observe the festivals commemorating the Lord's pastimes. He should also observe the significant days in the lives of great devotees There are many ways of engaging matter in the service of the Lord. Thus certain trees such as asvattha, dhatri and tulasi are used to serve the Lord. The images of the Lord are material objects, but the devotee must worship them as non-differentfrom the Lord, whose identical image resides in the heart of the pure devotee Among mountains, the devotee may worship Govardhana, among rivers he may worship Ganga and Yamuna, among animals he may worship the cow and calf, Whatever is suitable for bodies in this world is also fit to offer to the Lord. Thus there are rules for offering bed, cloth, scents, sandalwood and utensils to the deity. If the devotee offers his favorite object to the Lord, his service becomes first class The deities are of eight types 8 The devotee is happy that he can engage his body, mind, soul, place, time and matter in the service of he Lord, but something is lacking still. If he can engage other people or society in the Lord's service he will be happy.9 Thus there are rules for cultivation of devotion wtlizing social tendencies: festive gatherings of devotees, keeping proper standards of the vaisnavas, raising a vaisnava family, and spreading vaisnava dharma to all souls The devotees should have festivals where they can live together, take prasada together, listen to topics about the Lord and sing the Lord's name together. Those amongst the devotees who are knowledgeable about madhura rasa can relish the meaning of the literatures such as Bhagavatam, which contain topics of rasa. Two things should be understood about devotee association, in order that vaisnava offenses are not committed. Sri Caitanya has given warning in this regard. The devotee should give up the association of the devotee pretender, understand him to be a materialist.10 Towards those who are sincere, the devotee should offer service and respect. Meeting a true vaisnava, the devotee should associate with hhim and serve him with his heart, to the ordinary vaisnava-inclined people he should show respect. This respect is an external service These vaisnava-like people are of three types: those who fully accept the Vaisnava conclusions but are not practicing themselves, those who take up the vaisnava signs and appearance, but are not real vaisnavas, though they have respect for the vaisnavas, those who are born in the families of great vaisnavas, and wear the signs of a vaisnava but are not real vaisnavas. A true vaisnava is measured by the degree of purity and depth of his devotion and his capacity to inspire others. A person attains the status of a real vaisnava as soon asa little pure devotion appears in his heart. Ifa person respects and takes association of the non-vaisnava in the way that he respects the true vaisnava or the ordinary vaisnava, his devotion will decrease.11 Thus amongst those who wear the vaisnava marks and appear to be vaisnavas, certain ones should be avoided These people should be satisfied with the respect due to all human beings which is part of the secondary rules, but they should not be accepted or respected as real vaisnavas. If they happen to become pure devotees, then they are also qualified for association with other pure devotees, False vaisnavas are those who wear the vaisnava marks for cheating, those who identify themselves as followers of the vaisnava acaryas, for the purpose of introducing advaita philosophy to the vaisnavas, and those who advertisethemselves as vaisnavas to gain money, position or some other material enjoyment. One should not discuss topics of rasa with anyone except highly qualified persons on the same level of spiritual advancement. 12 In producing a vaisnava population the devotee should only associate with vaisnavas. The wife should be initiated and if possible taught the vaisnava philosophy. By great fortune a person gets a vaisnava wife. By producing vaisnava population with a vaisnava wife, materialism cannot exist, The children should be understood to be servants of the Lord. The parents should feel satisfaction by increasing the vaisnava population. The difference between the materialistic and devotional family is a difference, not of external form, but of consciousness. The materialist also gets married, earns money, builds a house, and produces offspring, but his goal is to increase the happiness of the world or his own individual happiness. Though the vaisnava performs the same activities, he does not claim the results as his own, but acts as a servant of the Lord. The vaisnava obtains satisfaction and peace, but the materialist, under the control of desire or anger bred from high aspirations and expectation of enjoyment or freedom, becomes disturbed. The vaisnava progresses in his practice by the conviction that devotional cultivation will increase through raising a devotee family. As showing compassion to all living entities is the ornament of the devotee, the devotees devise various means of transforming the living entities into vaisnavas. According to the object, there are four types of relationship the devotee may have with others. Towards the Lord he shows prema; towards pure devotees he shows true friendship, towards immature devotees and ignorant people he shows mercy.13 The devotee distributes unlimited mercy to those who have developed qualification for bhakti through good association. He gives them spiritual instruction and delivers them through his diffusion of his special energy. The devotee avoids those unfortunate people who, due to some type of incomplete reasoning, refuse to admit the principle of elevation of the soul. 1 A sincere disciple should learn to dissociate the mind from everything material and positively cultivate association with his spiritual master and other saintly devotees. He should be merciful to those in an inferior position to him, cultivate friendship with those on a equal level and meekly serve those in a higher spiritual position. Thus he should lear to deal properly with all living beings. To serve the spiritual master the disciple should learn cleanliness, austerity, tolerance, silence, study of Vedic knowledge, simplicity, celibacy, nonviolence and equanimity in the face of material dualities such as heat and cold, happiness and distress. One should practice meditation by constantly seeing oneself to be an eternal cognizant spirit soul and seeing the Lord to be the absoliste controller of everything, To increase one's meditation, one should live in a secluded place and give up false attachment to one's home and household paraphernalia. Giving up the decorations of the temporary material body, one should dress himself with scraps of cloth found in rejected places, or with the bark of trees. In this way one should learn to be satisfied in any material sittation. One should have firm faith that he will achieve all success in life by following those scriptures that describe the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. At the same time, one should avoidblaspheming other scriptures, One should rigidly control his mind, speech and bodily activities, always speak the truth, and bring the mind and senses under full control. One should hear, glorify and meditate upon the wonderful transcendental activities of the Lord. One should specifically become absorbed in the appearance, activities, qualities and holy names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus inspired, one should perform all of one's daily activities as an offering to the Lord One should perform sacrifice, charity and penance exclusively for the Lord's satisfaction. Similarly, one should chant only those mantras which glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And all one's religious activities should be performed as an offering to the Lord. Whatever one finds pleasing or enjoyable he should immediately offer to the Supreme Lord, and even his wife, children, home and very life air he should offer at the feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead $.B.11.3.23-28 2 Firm faith in the blissful narrations of My pastimes, constant chanting of My glories, unwavering attachment to ceremonial worship of Me, praising Me through beautiful hymns, preat respect for My devotional service, offering obeisances with the entire body, performing first-class worship of My devotees, consciousness of Me in all living entities, offering of ordinary, bodily activities in My devotional service, use of words to describe My qualities, offering the mind to Me, rection of, all material desires, giving up wealth for My devotional service, renouncing material sense gratification and happiness, and performing all desirable activities such as charity, sacrifice, chanting, vows and austerities with the purpose of achieving Me--these constitute actual religious principles, by which those human beings who have actually surrendered themselves to Me automatically develop love for Me. What other purpose or goal could remain for My devotee? $.B.11.19.20-24 3 Those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating. upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Prtha-for them 1am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death. B.G.12.6-7 4 Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. 1 shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. B.G.18.66 5 Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail, 1 promise you this because you are My very dear friend. B.G.18.65 6 All of these seasonal times are considered extremely auspicious for humanity. At such times, one should perform all auspicious activities, for by such activities a human being attains success in his short duration of life. S.B.7.14.24 7 Now I shall describe the places where religious performances may be well executed. Any place where a Vaisnava is available is an excellent place for all auspicious activities. $.B.7.14.27 8 The deity form of the Lord is said to appear in eight varieties--stone, wood, metal, earth, paint, sand, the mind or jewels. S.B.11.27.12 9 One who desires his ultimate self-interest should cultivate friendship with those persons who have accepted Krsna as the Lord of their life. One should further develop an attitude of service toward all living beings. One should especially try to help those in the human form of life and, among them, especially those who accept the principles of religious behavior. Among religious persons. One should especially render service to the pure devotees of the Supreme Personality ofGodhead. $.B.11.3.29 10 An intelligent person should therefore reject all bad association and instead take up the association of saintly devotees, whose words cut off the excessive attachment of one's mind. S.B.11.26.26 11 One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Krsna, one should offer lhumble obeisances to the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation and is engaged in worshipping the Deity, and one should associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others. Upadesamrta 5 12 One develops qualities similar to the those with whom one associates, like a wel picking up colors according to its surroundings. The wise man will therefore take shelter of those of superior qualitiy in order to raise his own qualities. Hari Bhakti Sudhodoya 8.51 13 An intermediate or second-class devotee, called madhyama adhikari, offers his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a sincere friend to all the devotees, of the Lord, shows mercy to ignorant people who are innocent and disregards those who are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. $.B.11.2.46 Part Three Avoiding obstacles in devotional service The practitioner of vaidhi bhakti must perform all the five types of cultivation explained in the previous section, In performing these activities there are certain forbidden actions which create obstacles for his progress. These must be avoided. There are ten types of forbidden activity-1 association with materialists,2 solicitation, attempting huge projects, spending time studying different works and various philosophies, meanness 3 subjection to lamentation 4 disrespect to devatas,5 giving trouble to other living entities, seva and nama aparadha, and tolerating criticism of the Lord and his devotee Materialists are of six types: people devoid of faith in the Lord and without moral standards, people with morals but no faith in God, people with morals and faith in God, but whose concept of God is subservient to morality, pretenders,6 impersonalists, polytheists Those who have no respect for God or morality engage in sinful activities. Without moral conduct they simply do whatever they wish. Such people, for sense pleasure and personal gain, create havoc in the world. Those who accept morality but do not accept God argue that moral conduct should be followed out of duty, without fear of God. They forget that faith in God is a significant element in moral conduct. It will be seen however, that if there is no respect for God, the moral codes cannot be followed properly. Will not such people sacrifice moral conduct for their own benefit if an opportunity arises? By examining their character one can discover the impractical nature of their philosophy. Where self-interestarises, the moral codes will be violated The third level of people have belief in God, but that belief is subservient to their morality. They are of two types. One type maintains that worship of God is important, but do not believe in His actual existence. They believe there is no harm in imagining a God and worshipping him with faith, and then abandoning the worship when good conduct is achieved. The second type believes that by performing activities of worship of the Lord such as sandhya vandana, the heart will become purified and brahman realization will be achieved. At that point there are no more duties to anyone. This relationship with God is like a temporary meeting of travelers at an inn. Both these types are averse to devotion. The fourth type, also adverse to devotion, is the pretender. They may be classified as cheaters and cheated. Though they do not accept the eternal nature of bhakti, they wear the dress and markings of a believer. They have their own motives, which any honest person would decry. Cheating everyone, they pave the way for a world of sin. Undiscerning people, allured by their external appearance, take up the same path, and end up rejecting God. They have beautiful tilaka and dress, chant the name of Krsna, appear detached from the world and give attractive speeches, bit secretly they harbor desire for wealth and women. Many such groups are visible The fifth type is the impersonalist. According to these people, when the heart becomes purified by bhakti, the truth will be revealed. The highest truth is liberation, destruction of the soul. As the distinction of soul is destroyed, everything becomes one undifferentiated state. Bhakti and God are temporary Acting as the servant of Lord is a only a practice, not the goal. If the devotee does not avoid them, his faith in the ontology of bhakti will become weak. Those who accept many gods have no dedication to one. By association with such people the devotee will also Lose his faith in bhakti.7 The devotee must avoid the association of these six types of people, Association does not refer to being present in the same meeting, riding in the same boat, bathing at the same place in the river or buying goods in the same store. Association means dealing with them in an intimate mood.8 That type of association has to be avoided Unhealthy relationship is also forbidden for the vaidha bhakta. There are four types of unhealthy relations: with disciples, with associates, with servants and with friends. By taking unqualified people as disciples for wealth and power, preat disturbance is created in the sampradaya. The vaisnava will not initiate disciples if there are no qualified persons. By taking association of those who are not devotees, many types of sinful habits will appear. Therefore such association should be given up. It is not beneficial to take servants unless they are devotees. In making friendship as well the devotee should first consider if that person is a vaisnava The devotee should give up enthusiasm for big endeavors in three situations. If the person has no funds in the beginning he should not attempt the work. If hislife is nearly finished he should not start a big project. If the work requires a lot of manpower and he has no way of getting assistance, then he should not attempt the work. Such things create an obstacle in devotion. If huge projects for temple, hall , or asrama are difficult to execute, then they should not be considered The devotees should learn the scriptures concerning devotion and those works which conform to the conclusions, but for lack of time, to read small parts of large works and then leave them should not be done. The devotee should read a work thoroughly, otherwise he will become uselessly opinionated, a professional debater. There are some people who take pleasure in arguing with any statement they hear, whether good or bad. This is forbidden for the devotee. Miserliness is very contaminating for the devotee. There is miserliness of behavior, of wealth, and of effort. With the vaisnava, the devotee should stand up when he approaches and care for him attentively. He should give general respect and gifts to the brahmanas. He should properly clothe and shelter his dependents He should take items from others for a suitable price. He should pay taxes to the king. He should show gratitude to benefactors, give food to the poor, medicine to the sick, and cloth to those suffering from cold weather. If he treats anyone in the world properly, then the fault of miserliness will not arise. tis even enough if, having nothing else, he simply speaks nicely. By proper speech, by wealth, by his own labor, he should behave generously with others. Lack of proper behavior is forbidden for the devotee. The devotee should not be controlled by lamentation and other emotions, by bad habits, by intoxications or by superstition, There are thousands of circumstances for feeling lamentation, grief, anger, fear, greed and illusion, but the devotee does not become affected when such circumstances arise. They weaken the mind and obstruct the cultivation of bhakti, The devotee should always beware! Bad habits such as sleeping during the day, sleeping during the morning, chewing betel, untimely eating and drinking, untimely cleaning the body, sleeping on a luxurious bed, and eating luxurious items, eventually become a disturbance to devotion, Taking only what is necessary to maintain life, the devotee should not become habituated to unnecessary items Taking intoxicants gives rise to many faults, for by becoming addicted to them, devotion gets contaminated. Alcohol, marijuana, opium, and even tobacco must be avoided by the vaisnava. They are prohibited in the vaisnava scriptures. Just by smoking a person becomes so much addicted that he takes to sinful company to enjoy the habit 9 To be controlled by superstition causes many problems. From superstition arises prejudice, with prejudice, there is no respect for truth 10 Wearing the signs of the vaisnava is one of the methods of cultivating devotion, involving the body. But to think that that is the distinguishing characteristic of a vaisnava is a superstition arising from sampradaya prejudice. Controlled by such false beliefs, a person may not respect a real vaisnava who is not wearing those marks. If a devotee cannot find good association within his own organization he will not venture to find goodassociation elsewhere if he has such prejudice. As without good association no thing can be accomplished, the devotee falls into a dangerous position. Those who are bound to the vamasrama system by prejudice also fail to develop a taste for the higher level of bhakti, Sometimes hatred, which is degrades a person even more, may also appear. The devotee should not disrespect the devatas.11 There are two types of devatas, incarnations of the Lord and jivas with special qualification. None of the Lord's servants should be disrespected. Those souls who, by the mercy of the Lord have attained positions to control and protect the world, are considered to be devata, and are to be worshipped by all, The vaisnava should not out of envy disrespect, them. Giving them proper respect, the vaisnava may pray to them for the boon of devotion to Krsna. The vaisnava should not disrespect any living entity. Respect should be given to all the forms of the devatas which are being worshipped in various places, for by worshipping those forms, the people ona lower level of consciousness learn the preliminaries to devotional service. By disrespecting them, the devotee's pride will grow, and humility will decrease. In this way the heart will no Longer be a suitable dwelling place for devotion The devotee should not disturb other living entities 12 One type of disturbance is to kill other living beings for food. Talking about others' misdeeds, criticizing others, quarreling, scolding, bearing false witness, taking advantage at others, expense, violence, theft, spending others’ money, beating others, lusting after others' wives_these are all actions to disturb others. The devotee avoids these. When a person takes shelter of bhakti, mercy towards all living entities is a natural quality.13 Compassion does not have separate existence from bhakti, The quality which, when offered to the Lord, is called bhakti or prema, becomes friendship, compassion and indifference when directed towards other living beings. It isa feeling which is inherent in the eternal nature of the soul. In the spiritual realm. this quality manifests only as friendship but in the material world it manifests as friendship towards devotees, mercy towards the innocent and indifference towards the offenders. These are but different aspects of the same compassion. In the conditioned state this compassion is extremely stunted. It starts with ones own body, then widens to include ones household, then ones varna, then ones countrymen. Expanding, it includes the human beings of the whole world Compassion becomes complete when it is directed towards all living entities Patriotism is but an aspect of this sentiment in relation to ones country, Philanthropy is compassion directed towards all humanity. The vaisnava should not be limited by these sentiments. He is compassion for all living entities, not ‘wanting to cause harm to any of them. The vaisnava should always be careful to avoid seva and nama aparadhas, The seva aparadhas are of five types according to the Varaha and Padma Puranas: negligence in spite of ability , disrespect, impurity, lack of determination, and pride. All the different offenses mentioned in he scriptures that can be committed against the form of the Lord in the temple fall within these five types. It is difficult to list all the offenses, but those mentioned in the Varaha and Padma Puranas will be brieflydescribed Among the first type of offense are the following: not to hold the regular festivals for the deity, though there is money to do so; to worship the Lord with inferior items, though ability is there to supply better, not to offer the seasonal fruits to the Lord; to come before the Lord without offerings obeisances, prayers or verses of praise, to enter the Lord's temple without lighting any lamp Disrespectful offenses are as follows: entering the deity room with shoes or ina vehicle, not paying respects to the deity, paying respects to the deity using one hand, pointing at the deity with a finger, circumabulating someone in front of the deity, spreading the feet before the deity, reciting prayers while sitting on a bed, sleeping or eating before the deity, speaking loudly before the deity, gossiping with someone in front of the deity, crying because of material affairs, quarreling, talking of others in front of the Lord; passing air before the Lord, giving part of an item to someone before offering it to the Lord, sitting with ones back to the deity; addressing or greeting others before the deity, seeing the deity at the wrong time Offenses of impurity are as follows: going to the temple with an unclean body, to serve the deity with clothing made of animal hair, spitting while serving the deity, thinking of material things while serving the deity. Offenses due to lack of determination are: to drink water before worshipping the Lord, to eat unoffered food, water, not daily seeing the Lord and his worship, not offering ones favorite items, foods, and fruit to the Lord, not observing ekadasi. vows In serving the Lord the devotee thinks of himself as the Lord's humble servant, Otherwise the devotee will praise himself and thing that he is the best worshiper. To think oneself great, offering many items with great pomp, is also pride In serving the Lord these five types of offenses should be avoided. 14 The installer of the deity, the pujari, and the general devotees must all avoid them. The nama aparadhas15 are: to criticize devotees, to think that the devatas are independent of the Lord, to disrespect the guru, to criticize the Vedas and other scriptures, to think the glorification of the name are exaggerations, to interpret the name, to commit sinful activity on the strength of the Name; to think that Name is life pious activities, to teach the name to faithless people, not to have attraction for the name in spite of hearing its glories. Even in the scriptures of moral dharma, criticizing others is a sin. But in considering the seriousness of sin, the scriptures dealing with devotion, the essence of dharma, consider criticizing the devotee to be the most serious offense Those who commit this offense cannot advance in devotion, without the association of devotees. By criticizing the devotee gradually devotion will decrease in the heart day by day, like the waning of the moon.16 Though a person may be well established in varnasrama dharma, without devotional association andwith the committing of this offense, devotion will disappear from the heart. It is, often seen that by this offense people situated in varnasrama dharma gradually fall from their position and become atheistic moralists, and then finally become amoral, living like animals, Therefore this offense must be avoided. To think that the devatas are independent of the Lord, that they all have equality, is polytheism. Such people are not devotees. Understanding that Lord is one is the correct understanding. Without this understanding a person is ignorant, an offender. In chanting the Lord's name, the names of the devatas are included. The devotee should understand that the devatas are all servants of the Lord. Someone may object that Siva is the supreme and Visnu is his avatara, that Vishnu’s name is dependent on Siva’s name. Such arguments between different groups does not bear any good result. The real goal is to worship the Supreme Lord, and to that end, it is necessary to stick to chanting the name of Visnu or Krsna, The highest uth is without material qualities. All the devatas, endowed with sattva, rajas and tamas, should be regarded as the servants of the Lord, but without being envious of them, the devotee should worship the Lord situated in pure sattva, beyond the modes of material nature. By giving up the path shown in the Vedas and other authorized scriptures and imagining other things, great disturbance will take place. Those scriptures which indicate worship of devatas like Siva, Durga, Ganesa, Surya and Indra, think of that worship as a materialistic means (saguna) to attain the pure (nirguna) realization of impersonal brahman. 17 In the vaisnava scriptures the Lord is defined as the highest form endowed with etemity, knowledge and bliss. The vaisnava does not serve the Lord to attain impersonal brahman. Therefore it is improper to think that the imaginary forms of devatas (being material and therefore temporary) are the same as the highest truth. Ifa person then tries to argue that the devatas are eternal spiritual forms, the philosophies of both advaita and bhakti disappear. Therefore the wise person maintains that the devatas are devotees of the Lord, or gunavataras, and does not change the meaning of scripture. Otherwise there will be offense against the Lord, the eternally perfect form Disrespect to the guru is an serious offense. Without faith in the guru there can be no faith in his instructions. Without faith, there can be no devotional activities Thus a devotee must have unshakable faith in the diksa and siksa guru. Those who have a strong tendency to surpass the guru commit this offense and cannot develop attachment to the Lord The four Vedas (Rg, Sama, Yajur and Atharva), the Puranas, Mahabharata, the twenty dharma sastras, and the Pancaratras, all glorify the chanting of the name of, the Lord and devotional service, These are considered the real scriptures. By criticizing them there can be no advancement in devotion. People who do not respect the scriptures and concoct a new form of worship become a burden on the world.18 Looking at the philosophies of theosophy, brahma samaj, Buddhism and Dattatreya, this becomes apparent. The essence is that there is one means to attain the end. Thisis seen everywhere, In different countries, different languages anddifferent customs, the practice may differ a little but the essence is one. With an. analytical eye, one will not see difference. The Vedic scriptures are eternal, The methods given there are also eternal, The methods given in the works following the authority of the Vedas are approved methods. If a person out of pride wants to invent a new process, and offers some new philosophy, it can only be valued as manifestation of pride and imagination, with no substance. It will act as an obstacle to development of that person's devotion There are many pious activities, which do not bear permanent results, but these results are glorified to encourage people with material propensity.19 By glorification of the result, people are encouraged to perform the pious activity. Many unfortunate people say that the glorification of the holy name is similar to the empty glorification of pious activities. But the results of chanting the Name are actual and eternal, and the scriptures cannot even enumerate the many results of chanting, There are many directives to worship the Lord, but the essence of the worship is chanting the name. Those who think that the glories of chanting given in the scriptures are simply exaggerated praises are offenders To speculate whimsically about the meaning of the name is an offense, Hari means the personal form of Krsna, endowed with eternity, knowledge and bliss, but a person who cannot understand that Krsna has as beautiful form will think that Hari indicates impersonal brahman. For fear that "hari" may indicate Krsna, some people add extra words to "hari" such as "nirakara". This is interpreting the name. Those who commit this offense become dry-hearted and gradually become devoid of rasa Ifa person dares to commit sin thinking that the power of the name will nullify the reactions, he commits grave offense. Sin and attraction to material pleasure are extinguished along with the development of attraction for the Lord. When a person takes shelter of the name, naturally he will not have a taste for sinful activities. But if someone always chants the name and secretly commits sins, itis cheating of the worst type. Such a person while committing sin will think that by later chanting the name he will cancel the effect of the sin. The devotee should take shelter of the name, being free from this offense There are many pious activities such as sacrifices, austerities, yoga, study of Vedas, following the rules of varnasrama dharma, and serving guests, Those engrossed in materialism will think that the chanting of the name is on the same level as these pious activities. This is a great offense. There is a great difference between pious actions which yield temporary material results and the chanting of the Name which brings etemal bliss Those who are atheistic, extremely bound up to moral rules or duties of karma cannot take up chanting the name unless they first purify their hearts. To give such unqualified and faithless people the teachings of the name is as useless as sowing seeds on barren ground. Those who give out the name motivated by receiving good donations are selling the name. They reduce the priceless jewel to nothing in exchange for insignificant things, and fall from the path of devotionA person is unfortunate if, even after hearing the glories of the Name, his sense of possessiveness and attachment are so strong that he does not develop an attachment for the name. He is in a hopeless position, and is considered an offender. Being free from these ten offenses the devotee should practice his worship. The devotee should not consent to or assist in criticism of the Lord or His devote. If he hears such words, he should if possible counter them. If he hears such words from his own guru, then he should humbly wam him. If the guru becomes a hater of vaisnavas he should reject him and take shelter of a real guru. 20 Giving up the ten detrimental activities , the vaidha bhakta carefully tend to the development of his devotion through the five types of cultivation 1 Literature that is a useless waste of time~in other words literature without spiritual benefit-- should be rejected. One should not become a professional, teacher as a means of earning one's livelihood, nor should one indulge in arguments and counterarguments, Nor should one take shelter of any cause or faction, A sannyasi must not present allurements of material benefits to gather many disciples, nor should he unnecessarily read many books or give discourses as means of livelihood. He must never attempt to increase material opulences unnecessarily. $.B.7.13.7-8 2A gthastha must associate again and again with saintly persons, and with great respect he must hear the nectar of the activities of the Supreme Lord and His incarnations as these activities are described in Srimad Bhagavatam and other Puranas. Thus one should gradually become detached from affection for his wife and children, exactly like a man awakening from a dream. S.B.7.14.3-+ 3 My dear Lord, O infallible one, my position is like that of a person who has. many wives, all trying to attract him in their own way. For example, the tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals to sex with an attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contact with soft things. The belly, although filled, still wants to eat more, and the ear, not attempting to hear about You, is generally attracted to cinema songs. The sense of smell is attracted to yet another side, the restless eyes, are attracted to scenes of sense gratification, and the active senses are attracted elsewhere. In this way 1am certainly embarrassed. S.B.7.9.40 4 How can one whose mind is afflicted by lamentation and other material disturbances ever see Mukunda B.R.S.1.2.115 5 Those who are serious liberation are certainly nonenvious, and they respect all. Yet they reject the horrible and ghastly forms of the demigods and worship only the all-blissful forms of Lord Visnu and His plenary portions. 5.B.1.2.26 6 Hari Bhakti Sudhodaya 12.54-58 7 As pouring water on the root of a tree energizes the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else, and as supply food to the stomach enlivens the senses and limbs of the body, simply worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that ‘Supreme Personality. S.B.4.31.14 8 Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one's mind inconfidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasada and offering prasada are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another. Upadesamsta + (To carry on similar activities with a materialist is asat sanga.) 9 In this material world the conditioned soul is always inclined to sex, meat-eating and intoxication. Therefore religious scriptures never actually encourage such activities. Although the scriptural injunctions provide for sex through sacred marriage, for meat-eating through sacrificial offerings and for intoxication through the acceptance of ritual cups of wine, such ceremonies are meant for the ultimate purpose of renunciation. $.B.11.5.11 Those sinful person who are ignorant of actual religious principles, yet consider themselves to be completely pious, without compunction commit violence against innocent animals who are fully trusting in them. In their next lives, such sinful persons will be eaten by the same creatures they have killed in this world $.B.11.5.14 10 The killers of the soul are never peaceful, because they consider that human intelligence, is ultimately meant for expanding material life. Thus neglecting their real, spiritual duties, they are always in distress. They are filled with great hopes and dreams, but unfortunately these are always destroyed by the inevitable march of time. S.B.11.5.17 11 The transcendental Personality of Godhead is indirectly associated with the three modes of material nature, namely, passion, goodness and ignorance, and just for the material world’s creation, maintenance and destruction he accepts the three qualitative forms of Brahma, Visnu and Siva, Of these three, all human beings can derive ultimate benefit from Visnu, the form of the quality of goodness. $.B.1 2.23 Those who are serious about liberation are certainly nonenvious, and they respect all. Yet they reject the horrible and ghastly forms of the demigods and worship only the all-blissful forms of Lord Visnu and his plenary portions. Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance worship the forefathers, other living beings and the demigods who are in charge of cosmic activities, for they are urged by a desire to be materially benefited with women, wealth, power and progeny. $.B.1.2.25-26 12 If a human being is engaged in sinful, irreligious activities, either because of bad association or because of his failure to control his senses, then such a person will certainly develop a personality full of material desires. He thus becomes miserly toward others, greedy and always anxious to exploit the bodies of women. ‘When the mind is so polluted one becomes violent and ageressive and without the authority of Vedic injunctions slaughters innocent animals for sense gratification Worshipping ghosts and spirits, the bewildered person falls fully into the grip of unauthorized activities and thus goes to hell, where he receives a material body infected by the darkest modes of nature. S.B.11.10.27-28 13 Therefore, my dear young friends born of demons, please act in such a way that the Supreme Lord, who is beyond the conception of material knowledge, will be satisfied. Give up your demoniac nature and act without enmity or duality. Show mercy to all living entities by enlightening them in devotional service, thus becoming their well-wisher. S.B.7.6.24 14 One who commits all offenses can be relieved of effects by taking shelter of Hari, but if one commits offense to Hari, that is very serious. If however, one takes shelter of the name, he can overcome the effects. But he who commits offenseagainst the name, which the friend of all, must fall down. Padma Purana 15 Padma Purana 16 Due to the mercy of the devotee a person may suddenly attain a relfection of bhava. Due to offense against the devotee of the Lord, that reflection of bhava will gradually disappear like the waning of the moon. BRS. 17 Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kunti, but they do so ina wrong way. B.G.9.23 18Steadiness in devotion arises from either taste or respect for scriptural rules, but that arising from taste is rare. Therefore one must rely upon respect for rules in order to advance to steadiness. A person who makes a show of steadiness, without having followed the rules is therefore a proud impostor. This does not however apply to the person who has advanced by taste. Bhakti Sandarbha 312 19 By executing without attachment the repulated activities prescribed in the Vedas, offering the results of such work to the Supreme Lord, one attains the perfection of freedom from the bondage of material work. The material fruitive results offered in the revealed scriptures are not the actual goal of Vedic knowledge, but are meant for stimulating the interest of the performer. $.B.11.3.46 20 One should reject a guru who has become arrogant, cannot distinguish right and wrong conduct, or who has taken up an incorrect philosophy. Anyone who hears such a guru teaching wrong principles and the guru who teaches such things both go to hell for unlimited time. Far from being worshipped such a guru should be given up, especially if he becomes envious of vaisnavas. One goes to hell with a mantra given by a non-vaisnava, Therefore, according to the rules, one should again accept a guru, who is a vaisnava, Bhakti Sandarbha 238, Part Four Relationship between secondary and primary rules ‘What is the difference between karma kanda and vaidhi bhakti? There is a great difference. Those who develop indifference to the objects of the material world become qualified for jnana yoga and sannyasa. Those who still have material desires are qualified for karma yoga. Those who have developed faith in the supreme position of the Lord and have developed detachment from material life to a good degree are qualified for bhakti.1 Living life by rules designated according, to qualities, the nine stages of transformation of the body2 and social activities are prescribed both in karma kanda and bhakti, But in karma kanda there are also many elements which are contrary to the principles of bhakti, such as fulfilling sense desires by worshipping many devatas, giving material respect, some types of violence to animals, and respect to persons based on birth, Service to one Lord alone, attraction for only spiritual objects, service to vaisnavas and brahmanas based on quality, not caste, compassion and non-violence to all creatures are some of the prominent characteristics of bhakti ‘What is the relation of varnasrama, which was previously discussed, with vaidhi bhakti? Should a person take shelter of vaidhi bhakti and give up the rules of varnasrama dharma, or should he practice vaidhi bhakti for developing devotion, while still following the varnasrama rules and duties? It was previously stated thatthe purport of varnasrama dharma is to maintain the body, develop the mind, perform good works for society and learn spiritual topics, all. with the goal of developing pure bhakti3 In that man is bound by a material body, he must follow the varnasrama rules. That cannot be denied, for without the development of body, mind, society and spirit, man's life becomes degraded. The rules of varnasrama are suitable for this purpose , and therefore they should be followed. However vamasrama is not the final goal. With the assistance of varnasrama dharma, a person should cultivate bhakti. 1t is also necessary to follow the rules of varnasrama in the cultivation of bhakti But by following the rules of varnasrama, which are time consuming, a person may not have any time left to cultivate bhakti + Furthermore, where there is some conflict of principles, what should be done? First, it should be said that without taking proper care of body, mind, society and spirit, a person cannot perform the more elevated activities of bhakti. How can the seed of devotion, faith, awaken in the heart if a person dies prematurely, develops mental problems and never learns anything about spirit? And if a person gives up the rules of varnasrama and acts as he pleases, his physical and mental actions will be like those of a madman. He will be engaged in the worst sins. No sign of bhakti will be visible Thus, though varnasrama dharma is somewhat engaging, it must be followed as an assistant to bhakti, and, with the cultivation of bhakti, its consumption of time will decrease. 5 ts various activities will transform into devotional actions. First a person should practice the five types of devotional activities to the utmost, as directed by Lord Caitanya, while simultaneously being meticulous in observance of varnasrama duties, which may take too much time. He should gradually reject those varnasrama duties which are against devotional principles. Finally, being purified by bhakti, varnasrama duties will become the servant of sadhana bhakti. Acting it this way, there will be no conflict between the duties of varnasrama and bhakti By the cultivation of bhakti, the life of a brahmana and the life of a sudra, both purified by bhakti, become equalized. The sudra, being illumined by his state of servitude to the Lord and to the devotees, becomes equal to the selfless brahmana. The purity of vaisnava brotherhood will enlighten the lives of the four varnas so much that the world will seem to be Vaikuntha. By removal of the obstacles arising from identification with body, real equality of the souls is possible. 6 Just as atheistic moral dharma merges with theistic moral life, varnasrama dharma, 0 theistic moral life transforms itself and becomes devoid of its previous faults in the life of a devotee. In varnasrama dharma the worship of the Lord is only one among many rules. When this dharma is incorporated in the life of a devotee, all the rules becomes subordinate to the worship of the Lord. Although this change may seem very general, when faith becomes strong, the whole life of the person becomes transformed. The lives of a varnasrama follower and a devotee are completely different According to the scriptures, every human being has a qualification for performing bhakti.7 As devotion is the natural propensity of the soul, all attention should bepaid to this matter. Thus all persons in the four vamas and asramas are qualified for bhakti, Of course, as people outside the varnas are also counted as human beings, they have a right to devotion as well, but the opportunities are less. Because their birth, association, actions and nature are all without proper regulation, they are extremely attached to the material modes, and live like animals. Just to fill their stomach, they become selfish, violent towards others and devoid of compassion, Because their hearts are hard, bhakti becomes difficult for them to appreciate 8 Examples like Hari das Thakura, the hunter saved by Narada, and story of Jesus and Paul, show that such people do have qualification for devotion, By examining their lives however, it will be found that they endured many hardships in taking up the path of devotion, so much so that their lifespans were considerably shortened Though all humans have a right to practice bhakti, those who follow the regulations of varnasrama have a much easier time. But even though the qualification and opportunity is there, many varnasrama followers do not take to bhakti9 The reason is that man's life takes the form of ascending steps. Those outside the varnasrama are on the lowest step. Atheistic moralists are on the second step. Theistic moralists are on the third step, Vaidha bhaktas are on the fourth step, and raganuga bhaktas are on the fifth step. 1t is the nature of the soul to ascend to the next higher step, but he should not ascend prematurely or too quickly. Only after being firmly established on one step is it possible to ascend to the next step . That is why being qualified with steadiness on each level has been emphasized. When a person is qualified to ascend to the next step, he must also give up attachment to the old step. The tendency to cling to the old stage is called niyamagraha, clinging to outmoded rules. Because of this, the outcasts have no respect for the atheistic moralists, the atheistic moralists have no respect for the pseudo-theistic moralists, the pseudo-theists have no respect for the theistic moralists, the theistic moralists have no respect for the vaidha bhaktas, and the vaidha bhaktas have no respect for ragatmika bhakti, Because of such habit, the followers of varnasrama often do not respect the vaidha bhaktas.10 This does not affect bhakti itself, but is as misfortune for those who do not take up interest in their own advancement. Those at a higher stage naturally have compassion for those at a lower stage, but until the lower-situated people are fortunate, they cannot give up their stage and develop a taste for the higher stage ‘When the consciousness of those situated in varnasrama matures into devotional sentiment they take up the life of a devotee, but as Long as they do not, they must still be said to be practicing karma, Karma is not an integral part (anga) of bhakti. ‘When karma matures fully, it takes the form of devotional action, and this is called bhakti, not karma, The moment that real faith in the Lord arises, a person. transcends karma. The sandhya rites are obligatory activities arising out of the rules of moral dharma. They are not activities of bhakti arising from faith. When faith in the Lord arises, all the activities, being centered on the Lord, are given respect according to their contribution to the goal, bhakti. Thus, if a devotee is listening to a devotional lecture in the evening, he does not like to interrupt that to perform his sandhya rites. The devotee understands that there is no necessity for giving up an activity which is already fulfilling the goal of sandhya rites